The handout, published on January 12, shows an aircraft taking off to join the US-led coalition conducting airstrikes against military targets in Yemen.US Central Command, via X/Reuters
Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday vowed fierce retaliation against attacks on them by the United States and Britain, further raising the possibility of further escalation of the conflict in an area already plagued by Israel’s war on Gaza. .
The Houthis said the shelling was launched in response to recent drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea, killing at least five people and wounding six others.
The bombing lit up the pre-dawn sky over multiple strongholds held by Iranian-backed rebels, drawing the world’s attention back to Yemen’s years-long war that began when the Houthis seized the capital. is what happened.
Rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea since November in retaliation for Israeli attacks in Gaza against Hamas. But they frequently target ships with weak or unclear connections to Israel, endangering shipping along key routes for global trade and energy transport.
The Biden administration and its allies have been trying for weeks to calm tensions in the Middle East and prevent the conflict from escalating, but the latest attack threatens to inflame the conflict.
Saudi Arabia, which backs the government-in-exile fought by the Houthis, quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a ceasefire in Yemen.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Salih said in a recorded speech that the strike “will not go unanswered or unpunished.”
He said the attack on areas under Yemeni control left five people dead and six wounded from rebel forces. The scale of the damage remains unclear, but the Houthis said at least five locations were hit, including an airfield.
Britain said airstrikes hit a base in Bani, which the Houthis allegedly used to launch drones, and an airfield in Abbas, which was used to launch cruise missiles and drones.
Hussein Al-Ezzi, head of the Houthi foreign ministry, said: “The US and the UK will undoubtedly have to pay a heavy price and be prepared to bear all the dire consequences of this blatant invasion.”
The Red Sea route is a vital waterway, and attacks on it have caused severe disruption to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude rose about 4% on Friday, trading at more than $80 a barrel. Meanwhile, Tesla announced it would temporarily halt most production at its German factory due to the Red Sea attack.
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Meanwhile, the US Navy acknowledged an attack on a ship in the remote Indian Ocean a few days ago. The attack could indicate Iran’s readiness to attack ships as part of a broader maritime operation over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Tehran separately seized another tanker on Thursday.
Hundreds of people gathered for a rally in the Houthi stronghold of Sa’ada in northwestern Yemen on Friday, denouncing the United States and Israel. Thousands of people also gathered in the capital, Sanaa.
Yemen has been a target of U.S. military action under the past four U.S. presidents. Drone strikes targeting local al-Qaeda affiliates began under President George W. Bush and have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the United States has launched raids and other military operations as the war in Yemen continues.
The war began in 2014 when the Houthis invaded Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition that includes the United Arab Emirates launched a war in support of Yemen’s government-in-exile in 2015, and the conflict quickly turned into a regional conflict as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other supplies. support.
But the war has slowed as the Houthis maintain control over the areas they control. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-brokered agreement to resume relations with Iran in hopes of finally withdrawing from the war.
However, no overall agreement has yet been reached, likely prompting expressions of “great concern” over the Saudi airstrikes on Friday.
“Saudi Arabia emphasizes the importance of maintaining security and stability in the Red Sea region, while calling for restraint and avoidance of escalation,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Iran condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Khanani.
“Arbitrary attacks have no consequences other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region,” he said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called on countries in Beijing not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea.
Oman, which has been in regional dialogue with Iran for years for the United States and Western nations, condemned the airstrike. The newspaper called the attack “a major concern as Israel continues its brutal war and siege of the Gaza Strip with impunity and impunity.”
Meanwhile, on Friday, the US Navy confirmed attacks near the coasts of India and Sri Lanka several days ago. The chemical tanker Pacific Gold was attacked by a drone on January 4 in what the Navy called an “Iranian one-way attack,” causing some damage to the ship but no injuries.
Pacific Gold is controlled by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Offer. Iran itself has not admitted carrying out the attack.