In a joint military operation on Tuesday, the United Kingdom and the United States carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled drone manufacturing sites in Yemen, marking a renewed effort to halt attacks on global shipping routes.
According to Britain’s Ministry of Defence, the operation focused on a cluster of buildings south of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which were used by the Iran-backed Houthi group to produce drones for maritime attacks.
The UK deployed Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets for the mission. The aircraft dropped precision-guided bombs under the cover of darkness after “very careful planning,” aimed at minimizing civilian casualties and avoiding damage to non-military infrastructure. All aircraft safely returned to base.
Background on Houthi Activity
The Houthis ramped up attacks in late 2023 in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Gaza war. Since then, they have targeted commercial vessels and US naval ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden—critical global trade routes—and even fired missiles at Israel. These actions have escalated regional tensions and disrupted international shipping.
Renewed UK-US Military Coordination
While the UK has participated in previous joint strikes, this is the first publicly confirmed operation since the Trump administration initiated “Operation Rough Rider” on March 15. That campaign aims to use overwhelming force to cripple Houthi operations.
British Defense Secretary John Healey stated the strikes were necessary to prevent further Houthi aggression. He highlighted that attacks in the Red Sea have caused a 55% drop in maritime traffic, affecting both regional security and the UK economy.
Impact of Operation Rough Rider
Since mid-March, the US has carried out over 800 airstrikes on Houthi targets, hitting infrastructure such as missile sites, oil refineries, and airports. However, American officials acknowledge that the Houthis have successfully downed several US drones and that the broader impact on their operational capacity remains limited.
Allegations of Civilian Casualties
On Monday, the Houthis claimed that a US airstrike struck a detention facility holding African migrants, killing dozens. The US Central Command responded by confirming awareness of the allegations and announced that it was conducting a full battle damage assessment and inquiry into the incident.
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