THE US and UK have launched strikes in Yemen against the Houthis, the first attacks against the Iran-backed militants since they began wreaking havoc in the Red Sea late last year.

The move comes after the militants launched 27 attacks in the Red Sea since November 19, and just over a week after a US-led coalition of 13 nations warned the Houthis to cease their attacks or face consequences.

US president Joe Biden said the strikes — which were conducted with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands — were “successfully” directed against targets the Houthis used to “endanger freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea.

“These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” Biden said in a statement.

“These attacks have endangered US personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardised trade, and threatened freedom of navigation.”

Biden, who described the actions as “defensive”, said they send the Houthis send a “clear message,” that the US and its partners will not tolerate attacks on their personnel or allow freedom of navigation in the critical shipping route to be imperilled.

He warned that more strikes are on the table.

“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary,” Biden said.

Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence also issued a statement confirming strikes on two Houthi facilities in Yemen involving cruise missile and drone operations.

“The detailed results of the strikes are being assessed, but early indications are that the Houthis’ ability to threaten merchant shipping has taken a blow,” it said.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described it as “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence”, adding the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain offered “non-operational support”.

Risk of escalation 

However, there are concerns that the situation in the region could escalate as a result.

Houthi leader Ali al-Qahoum vowed retaliation in a message posted on X and translated from Arabic.

“The Yemeni armed forces are responding forcefully to the American-British battleships in the Red Sea… targeting American-British military sites and bases... and what is coming is greater...,” he said.

Yemen’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Azzi tweeted that Washington and London's airstrikes were a “broad hostile attack” and that they should be prepared to “pay a hefty price”.

In response, tanker trade association Intertanko has relayed warnings from the Combined Maritime Forces to all ships “to stay well away from the Bab al Mendab and north of 16N (latitude 16o)”. 

The message continued that with no word on what the targets were or how long this will last for... “the threat period for shipping is expected to last several days”. 

Overnight, the Singapore ship registry similarly advised all ships in its fleet to “leave or avoid the area given the elevated risk levels and possibility of collateral damage”.

The Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nation said on its Telegram channel it has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council for January 12 in connection with the US and UK strikes on Yemen.

The Houthi militants launched three attacks since the 13-nation coalition issued its warning last week, including the largest attack yet on January 9 in which US and UK navy ships shot down 18 aerial drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile.

In an incident early Thursday morning, an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Houthis into the Gulf of Aden caused no damage or injuries, US Central Command (Centcom) said.

“One commercial vessel reported visually observing the missile impact the water; however, there were no injuries or damage reported,” Centcom said in a statement.

In a televised address Thursday before the strikes, the Houthi’s leader Sayyed Abdul Malik al-Houthi threatened a significant response if the militants are attached.

“We will not hesitate to do everything we can, and we will confront the American aggression,” the Yemen Press Agency quoted him saying.