THE UK has joined the US for a third time in conducting a wave of airstrikes on Houthi targets with more than 30 sites across 13 locations hit by coalition forces.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s were supported by Voyager tankers during the joint mission with Washington on Sunday, as they targeted locations in Yemen used by the Houthis.
The Houthi’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the air strikes would not deter the Yemen-based group.
In a post on Twitter/X, he said: “These attacks will not deter us from our moral, religious and humanitarian stance in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
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He added that the attacks “will not pass without response and punishment”.
The group has previously attacked ships it says are linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports, leading to various shipping lines suspending operations with vessels forced to take the longer journey around Africa, as part of a bid to end Israel's air and ground offensive against Gaza.
The latest strikes follow an air assault by the US in Iraq and Syria on Friday that targeted other Iranian-backed groups and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a drone strike which led to the death of three American troops in Jordan last weekend.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps (below) said: “The Houthis’ attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea are illegal and unacceptable and it is our duty to protect innocent lives and preserve freedom of navigation.
“That is why the Royal Air Force engaged in a third wave of proportionate and targeted strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen.
“We acted alongside our US allies, with the support of many international partners, in self-defence and in accordance with international law.
“This is not an escalation. We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities.”
A joint statement on the strikes from the UK, US, Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand said it was “an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen”.
It said the assault was in response to “a series of illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi actions” since previous coalition strikes on January 11 and 22.
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“Today’s strike specifically targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, and radars,” they said in the statement.
“The Houthis’ now more than 30 attacks on commercial vessels and naval vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge.”
The coalition reiterated its warning to Houthi leadership, saying: “We will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways”.
Prime Minister (above) Rishi Sunak has previously faced criticism for the air strikes. During the first round of action, he faced calls to recall Parliament to discuss the decision.
Following the second round of action, Green MP Caroline Lucas said: "Rishi Sunak said air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen sent *a clear message*.
"David Cameron says more strikes send *the clearest message*. Where will this end as the only message being received in the region is the UK's failure to back an end to suffering in Gaza."
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