Middle East crisis: US launches new strike against Houthi target in Yemen
American-flagged vessels are warned to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for 72 hours after Iranian-backed forces vow retaliation.
Saturday 13 January 2024 09:24, UK
The US has launched a fresh strike against a Houthi target in Yemen.
The attack on a radar site was carried out on Friday night by the navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk missiles and was described by US Central Command as a "follow-on action on a specific military target".
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It comes after on Thursday night "designed to degrade the Houthis' ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels".
The US military said 60 targets in 28 sites were hit in Yemen in retaliation for the Iran-backed forces carrying out months of attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Following the initial strikes there were reports "suspicious" small boats had approached merchant ships in the region.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of two craft following a vessel for more than an hour.
No weapons were seen, but the "suspicious approach" happened in an area 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to the agency.
A statement from US Central Command said: "Since 19 November 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden 28 times.
"These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles.
"These strikes have no association with and are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden."
Second round of strikes demonstrates intent
A "follow-on action" was how US Central Command put it. The description could mean a number of things.
Friday night's operation could have been prompted by an assessment of damage done on Thursday, a re-run to take care of unfinished business.
Or it may have been a direct response to a Houthi missile fired at commercial shipping on Friday, in the wake of the initial US/UK operation.
Whatever the reason, it demonstrates intent.
Clearly, the US recognises the danger in too much military involvement. Equally, it sees the risk in too little - to leave the Houthis ready and resourced to relaunch attacks in the Red Sea doesn't remove the threat to shipping.
It also increases the threat of the US being sucked into a prolonged side conflict with Iranian-backed militants that could escalate elsewhere.
So a second round of strikes at Houthi targets would seem to reflect the determination of the Americans to match their declared intent - to degrade the Houthis military and, in so doing, remove a complication that carries the threat of expanding aggression in the region.
The measure of their effectiveness will be in how the Houthis respond.
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Meanwhile, two US Navy sailors have been reported missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia.
US Central Command said: "Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors.
"For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete.
"The sailors were forward-deployed to the US 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations supporting a wide variety of missions."
The pair went missing on 11 January.
On Friday, the US Navy warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours.
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The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and much of the west and north of Yemen, have vowed fierce retaliation for the US-led strikes, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.
US military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.