President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday that he had ordered direct attacks on a number of targets inside Yemen that Houthi rebels have used to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent months.
“Today, at my direction, the U.S. military, in cooperation with the United Kingdom, and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, will continue to operate within Yemen, which the Houthi rebels have used to endanger freedom of navigation in Yemen. “We successfully attacked numerous targets in one of the world's most important waterways,” he said.
He said the attack was carried out in direct response to an attack involving the first-ever use of anti-ship ballistic missiles.
According to local sources in Yemen and the U.S.-British Navy fleet, U.S. and British warplanes conducted airstrikes on parts of the cities of Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Taiz during the night on January 12, 2024, over the sea. (U.S. Central Command) (CENTCOM)/Anadolu, via Getty Images)
Biden said targeted attacks are “not an excuse for the United States and our partners to condone attacks on our personnel or for adversaries to threaten freedom of navigation in one of the world's most important commercial shipping lanes.” “This is a clear message that we will not do so.”
“We will not hesitate to order further measures to protect our people and the freedom of international commerce as necessary,” he warned.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) called the airstrikes “overdue,” pointing to former President Donald Trump's designation of the Houthis as terrorists, a move Biden reversed when he took office. There is one.
Cotton said in a statement:
An attack on the Yemeni outlaws who threaten our military and threaten international shipping is long overdue. But things weren't supposed to go this far. President Trump wisely designated these rebels as terrorists, but one of Joe Biden's first acts in office was to reverse that decision. President Biden then spent three years placating Iran, emboldening not only Iran but also its proxies in Yemen, Gaza, and elsewhere. After all, where do Yemeni outlaws get the know-how to use cruise missiles and one-way attack drones? Iran. But President Biden can't even bring himself to mention Iran tonight.
He added that there were “questions” that the attack would deter Iran and its proxies.
“History teaches us that only devastating retaliation can deter Iran, as it did in 2020 when President Trump killed a terrorist mastermind and when President Reagan sank half of its navy in 1988. “Decisive action in this is the exact opposite of what we've seen from Joe Biden for three years,” he said.
The US military carried out strikes on Houthi targets in coordination with Britain on Thursday, after months of relentless attacks on international merchant ships and US warships in the Red Sea.
“At 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on January 11, U.S. Central Command, in coordination with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, conducted a joint attack on Houthi targets, “We continue to engage in unlawful and reckless attacks against U.S. and foreign shipping and commercial vessels in the Red Sea,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
“This multinational action targeted radar systems, air defense systems, unmanned aircraft systems for one-way attacks, and storage and launch sites for cruise missiles and ballistic missiles,” the report said.
Infographic showing attacks against the Houthis inside Yemen, January 12, 2024. (Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“We hold Houthi militants and their We blame its destabilizing Iranian sponsors,” the army general said. Michael Eric Kurilla, commander of Centcom.
“Their illegal and dangerous actions will not be tolerated and they will be held accountable,” he added.
Officials told Breitbart News on Thursday that President Joe Biden authorized the airstrike.
At 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on January 11, U.S. Central Command, in coordination with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, launched an attack on the Houthis to reduce their ability to sustain attacks. Conducted joint attacks against targets. they are illegal… pic.twitter.com/bR8biMolSx
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 12, 2024
The airstrikes come after the White House and international partners warned the Houthis last week to stop firing missiles and one-way attack drones at ships they say have ties to Israel. Ta. Some of the vessels targeted were owned by Israeli companies or were in port in Israel, while others appeared to have no discernible connections.
In some attacks, ships were hit and damaged. The Houthis have also hijacked several ships and taken their crews hostage. The attack has forced shipping companies to reroute ships across Africa, increasing time, transportation costs, insurance premiums and costs.
After Hamas carried out a terrorist attack in southern Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,200 people and kidnapping 240, Israel launched a military offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and the Houthi A spokesperson said the attack was in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Centcom said in a statement that since October 17, 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have attacked and attempted to harass 27 ships on international shipping routes, including attacks using anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and , said cruise missiles were used. Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Fighter jets from the U.S. and British naval fleet take off as military aircraft carry out airstrikes on parts of the cities of Sanaa, Hodeidah and Taiz, according to local sources in Yemen, during the night at sea on January 12, 2024. . (U.S. Central Command) (CENTCOM)/Anadolu, via Getty)
The Biden administration has sought to contain the Israel-Gaza conflict and avoid an escalation of the conflict involving other countries, but since the Oct. 7 attack, Iranian proxies have dramatically increased their attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria. It is increasing. The Houthis, also backed by Iran, began attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to take action against the Houthis. Prior to the airstrike, the US military had shot down missiles and drones, but had not directly attacked the Houthis. In one recent incident, Houthi forces opened fire on a U.S. Navy helicopter, which returned fire and sank three Houthi boats, killing their crews.
Centcom said in a statement that Thursday's attack was “unrelated to and separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian.” Operation Prosperity Guardian is described as a “defense” coalition aimed at protecting merchant ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. and the Gulf of Aden.
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