US President Joe Biden announced overnight from Thursday to Friday that the US and British armies struck targets belonging to the Houthis in Yemen in retaliation for their attacks in the Red Sea.
The US president issued a written statement regarding airstrikes targeting the Houthis who continued their attacks in the Red Sea.
“Today, on my instructions, US military forces, in conjunction with the United Kingdom and with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, carried out airstrikes on certain targets used by Houthi rebels in Yemen,” he said.
Biden explained that these attacks were in direct retaliation for Houthi actions in the Red Sea. He said the United States responded, along with the international coalition, to a series of attacks, the last of which occurred on January 9, in which the Houthis directly targeted American ships.
Drawing attention to the naval force deployed by the United States in the region against the Houthis and the approach taken by international public opinion, Biden recalled the resolution adopted the day before by the United Nations Security Council, calling on the Houthis to end their attacks.
“These attacks in Yemen are a clear message that the United States and its allies will not tolerate endangering freedom of navigation on one of the world’s most critical trade routes and targeting our personnel,” he said. underlined Biden, who will not hesitate to take further measures if necessary.
– Fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles were used
US and British military forces struck at least 12 Houthi targets, using fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles, some US officials told US media.
– Events in the Red Sea
Recently, following the actions of the Houthis in Yemen against commercial ships in response to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, many shipping companies have decided to stop their passages in the Red Sea.
On December 6, 2023, the Pentagon announced that it had initiated talks to create an international “Maritime Task Force” to counter attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and on December 18, the Pentagon announced the establishment of a multinational mission.
While Houthi attacks have jeopardized passage through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, providing the shortest route between Europe and Asia and where around 12% of global trade is carried out, attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and decisions taken by companies one after another have raised fears that a new “supply chain crisis” is opening up in the economy worldwide.
This article is originally published on aa.com.tr
