UK Joins US in Airstrikes on Houthi Drone Sites in Yemen
British fighter jets joined U.S. forces in airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen late Tuesday, marking the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) first involvement in an American-led bombing campaign against the group.
According to the U.K. Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force Typhoon jets, supported by Voyager air tankers, struck a group of buildings about 15 miles south of Sanaa. The ministry said the site was used by the Houthis to manufacture drones used in attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation,” said U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey. He cited a 55% drop in Red Sea shipping traffic, which he said had already hurt the global economy and U.K. families.
Since March 15, the U.S. has carried out over 800 strikes in Yemen, targeting Houthi positions, refineries, missile launch sites, and airfields. These operations are part of President Donald Trump’s “Operation Rough Rider,” which was launched in response to Houthi attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The recent joint strikes by the U.S. and U.K. came days after the reported U.S. bombing of a prison holding African migrants, which killed at least 68 people. On April 18, a U.S. strike on Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port killed 74 and injured 171, making it the deadliest known attack by the U.S. since the intensified campaign against the Houthis began.
