Houthi military on Friday (Jan 12) said that overnight air strikes carried out by the United States and the UK had claimed the lives of five of the group’s fighters and injured six others.
The military spokesperson for the Yemen-based group, Yahya Sarea said that the attacks would not go unpunished or unanswered.
“As part of its support for continued Israeli crimes in Gaza, the American and British enemy launched a brutal aggression against the Republic of Yemen with 73 raids targeting the capital Sanaa and the governorates of Hodeidah, Taiz, Hajjah and Saada. The raids resulted in the fall of five martyrs and the injury of six other members of our armed forces,” Sarea said.
“The American and British enemies bear full responsibility for their criminal aggression against our Yemeni people. It will not go unpunished or unanswered. The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to target threatening sources and all hostile targets on land and sea, in order to defend Yemen, its sovereignty and independence,” he added.
He further said that the group would continue to target ships that were headed for Israel.
“The Yemeni armed forces confirm that they will continue to prevent Israeli ships going to the ports of occupied Palestine from navigation in the Arab and Red Seas.”
A coalition led by the US and UK launched a total of 73 air strikes targeting Houthis in the wake of escalating attacks by the Iran-backed rebels on vessels in the Red Sea.
‘Will not tolerate attacks on our personnel’, says Joe Biden
United States President Joe Biden released a statement saying that the air strikes targeting Houthis in Yemen were a “defensive action” and further warned he “will not hesitate” to give orders for further military action if required.
“Today, at my direction, US military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands – successfully conducted strikes against several targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” Biden said
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation,” he added.
WATCH | Biden: UK, US successfully struck Houthi targets in Yemen
“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary,” asserted the US president.
Attacks on Houthis ‘necessary and proportionate’, says Sunak
In a statement, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the strikes carried out on Houthi rebels in Yemen were “necessary and proportionate”.
“Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States… to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping,” Sunak said.
(With inputs from agencies)
