Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels were targeted by additional U.S. airstrikes on Friday, a day after major U.S. and British airstrikes against the group.
The airstrike targeted a radar site used by the Houthis to target maritime traffic in the Red Sea and was smaller in scale than Thursday's raid, U.S. officials said. multiple outlet.
The airstrike was carried out unilaterally by the U.S. military, U.S. officials said. told CNNThis comes after the extremist group fired at least one anti-ship ballistic missile on Friday in response to an initial attack led by the United States and Britain.
“Today, we confirmed that one anti-ship ballistic missile was fired,” said Army Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II. told reporters During the briefing session. “It didn't hit any ships of any kind. We're still working on that issue.”
“My guess is that the Houthis are trying to understand the situation on the ground and trying to determine what capabilities they still have,” he added. “But I do expect that they will try to retaliate in some way because, you know, their rhetoric is very strong and quite sophisticated.”
More than 60 targets at 28 locations in Yemen were attacked Thursday night after President Biden authorized military action against the Houthis in response to repeated missile and drone attacks on U.S. and foreign ships in the Red Sea.
“These attacks endangered American service members, civilian sailors, and our partners, endangered trade, and threatened freedom of navigation,” Biden, 81, said in a statement after the first attack. Ta.
The president warned on Friday that Iranian proxies could face further military action if they continue to block shipping routes.
“If the Houthis continue this heinous act with our allies, we will respond,” Biden told reporters Friday.
A senior Houthi official threatened that the US and UK would pay a “heavy price” for the bombing.
“The United States and Britain will undoubtedly have to be prepared to pay a heavy price for all the dire consequences of this open invasion,” Hussein Al-Ezzi wrote in X.
Thursday's attack killed five Houthi fighters and wounded six others, said Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Brig. General Yahya Salih.
“The enemies of the United States and the United Kingdom bear full responsibility for their criminal aggression against our Yemeni people and will not be left unanswered or unpunished.”
Iranian officials condemned the attack as a “clear violation of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity and a violation of international law.”
