Since 12 January 2024, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, [16] have launched a series of cruise missile and airstrikes, codenamed Operation Poseidon Archer, against the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) in Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. [17] The Houthis had previously declared that their attacks are in support of Palestinians during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war; Houthi attacks on shipping were condemned by the United Nations Security Council the day before the initial strike. [1] [18] [19] [20]
US President Joe Biden ordered the strikes, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak convened his cabinet to authorize British participation. [21] [22] American officials said the strikes were intended to degrade Houthi capabilities to attack Red Sea targets rather than to kill leaders and Iranian trainers. [20] [23]
As of 2 May, the Houthis recorded 452 American and British airstrikes against its sites in Yemen, resulting in 40 deaths and 35 injuries. [11]
On 16 February 2021, the Biden administration removed Ansar Allah, the formal political and military organization of the Houthi movement, from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) blacklist, [24] due to concerns that the designation would impede the delivery of humanitarian aid amid Yemen's worsening political and socioeconomic crisis, as the Houthis controlled much of the most populated territory in Yemen. [25] In April 2022, the United Nations brokered a ceasefire between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which, despite formally lapsing the following October, continues to hold as of December 2023. [26]
With the start of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, the Iran-backed, [lower-alpha 3] Houthi-controlled Supreme Political Council declared its support for Hamas and began launching attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, especially in the Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. [28] While the Houthis initially claimed to target only commercial ships bound for Israeli ports or with some link to Israel, [29] they soon began indiscriminately targeting vessels, attempting attacks on ships with no discernible Israeli ties. [29] [30] Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi warned that "Israel is giving the world some time to organize in order to prevent this but if there isn't to be a global arrangement, because it is a global issue, we will act in order to remove this naval siege." [31] To launch attacks on Red Sea shipping, the Houthis use coastal missile batteries, loitering munitions, and fast attack craft armed with light autocannons, machine guns, and anti-tank missiles. [32]
By 21 December 2023, the Port of Eilat, which gives Israel via the Red Sea its only easy shipping access to Asia without the need to transit the Suez Canal, had seen an 85% drop in activity due to the Houthi action. [33]
Before the Houthi attack on the freighter Maersk Hangzhou on 30 December 2023, the United States had shot down a total of 24 Houthi missiles and drones [34] and deployed naval ships to protect Red Sea shipping lanes, but had not engaged directly with the Houthis. [35]
A considerable number of freighters have continued to transit, with mostly large container ships diverting away rather than other shipping, with the strait continuing to be heavily used by bulk carriers and tankers which are under different contract arrangements and often from countries supportive of Gaza's situation so perceiving a minimal risk from ongoing Houthi attacks. [36] [37] In the first week of January 2024 the average number of freighters active each day in the Red Sea included 105 bulk carriers and 58 tankers, down from 115 bulk carriers and 70 tankers the week before. [38] In contrast, six of the ten largest container shipping companies were largely avoiding the Red Sea, [39] with relatively few container ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb strait from 18 December 2023. [40]
As of January 2024, most marine insurances require a warranty of no Israeli involvement to insure vessels for the Red Sea route, with some requiring warranties of no US or UK interest and no calls to Israeli ports in the last 12 months. [41]
On 3 January 2024, the United States and a group of countries issued an ultimatum to the Houthis to stop their activities. [42] In the days leading up to the strike, members of the US Congress and The Pentagon demanded a strong and deterrent response to the Houthis. [43] One day before the strike, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution condemning Houthi activities in the Red Sea, in which Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique abstained. [44] [45] [46]
On 12 January, the first wave of strikes began around 2:30 a.m. Yemen time (UTC+3). [47] American fighter jets, armed with precision-guided bombs, were dispatched from regional bases. Simultaneously, 22 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18s, took off from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. In addition, the cruiser USS Philippine Sea, the destroyers USS Gravely, and USS Mason, along with the cruise-missile submarine USS Florida, launched a total of 80 Tomahawk cruise missiles. [48] [5] During this first wave of strikes, more than 100 missiles hit more than 60 targets in 16 locations. About 30 to 60 minutes later, a second wave of more than 50 missiles struck dozens more targets in 12 other locations. [6] [49]
The BBC reported four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets flew from the RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus in the strike. [50] Two Royal Air Force Voyager air-to-air refueling tankers supported the mission. [5] The Ministry of Defence announced that it had targeted two sites. One, at Bani in northwestern Yemen, had been used to launch reconnaissance and attack drones. The other was Abs Airport, which, according to the MoD, had been used to launch cruise missiles and drones at targets in the Red Sea. [2] Explosions were reported in Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Dhamar. The targets included logistics centres, air defense systems, and weapons storage sites. According to Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run news channel, the strikes hit Hodeida International Airport, Taiz International Airport, al-Dailami Air Base (which shares the runway with Sanaa International Airport), an airport near Hajjah, and a camp east of Saada. [1] This set of airstrikes began Operation Poseidon Archer . [51]
On 13 January, At 3:45 a.m. Yemen time (UTC+3) the US struck a radar site near Sanaa, [6] [52] which Al-Masirah reported was at Al-Dailami Air Base. [53] US Central Command said the "follow-on action" was conducted by the destroyer USS Carney with Tomahawk missiles. [54]
On 16 January, at 4:15 a.m local time, the US conducted new airstrikes in Yemen, targeting four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles that US officials said were being prepared to target ships in the region. [55] [56]
On 17 Januar, at about 11:59 p.m. local time, U.S. ships and submarines fired missiles against 14 Houthi missiles that US officials said were an immediate threat to ships in the region. [57] [58]
On 18 January, at 3:40 p.m. local time, the US struck three Houthi anti-ship missiles that US officials said were being prepared to target commercial ships in the region. [59] [60]
On 19 Januar, at 6:45 p.m. local time, US Navy F/A-18 aircraft from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower targeted Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen that US officials said were being prepared for launch. Al-Masirah reported airstrikes in the al-Jabaana neighborhood of Hodeida. [61]
On 20 January, at 4 a.m. local time, a US airstrikes hit a Houthi anti-ship missile that US officials said was prepared to target shipping in the Gulf of Aden. [62]
On 22 January, at about 11:59 p.m. local time, the US and UK conducted joint air and missile strikes against on eight Houthi targets across Yemen, including radars and drone and missile sites. [63] [64] [65] Al-Masirah reported airstrikes in Sanaa and al-Dailami Air Base. [66]
On 27 January, at about 3:45 a.m. local time, US forces hit a Houthi anti-ship missile that US officials said was being prepared for use against ships in the Red Sea. [67]
On 31 January, at about 3:30 p.m. local time, the US conducted a strike against a Houthi surface-to-air missile that US officials said posed an imminent threat to US aircraft. [68]
On 1 February, at about 1:30 a.m. local time, the US conducted strikes against a Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs. [69]
On 3 February, at about 7:20 p.m. local time, the US struck six anti-ship cruise missiles that US officials said were an "imminent threat" as they were being prepared to launch against vessels in the Red Sea. [70] [71]
Later that day, at about 11:30 p.m. local time, the US and UK struck 36 Houthi targets at 13 locations: underground storage facilities, command and control centers, missile systems, UAV storage and operational sites, radars, and helicopters. [16] The sites were struck using F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower and Tomahawk missiles fired by the USS Gravely and the USS Carney from the Red Sea. [72] Explosions were reported in Sanaa following the strikes. [73] Sky News Arabia reported that over 40 Houthi fighters were killed in the airstrikes conducted that day. [14]
On 4 February, at about 4 a.m. local time, the US struck an anti-ship cruise missile which was determined as an imminent threat. [74] Additional strikes occurred at 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time, targeting five land attack cruise missiles that US officials said were being prepared for launch against merchant and US Navy ships. [75]
On 7 February, at 9 p.m. local time, the US conducted strikes against two Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles. A second strike against a Houthi mobile land attack cruise missile occurred at 11:30 p.m. as it prepared to target ships in the Red Sea. [76] Houthi media reported that locations in Al Hudaydah Governorate were targeted. [77]
On 8 February, the US conducted seven strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels and anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. [78]
On 9 February, the US conducted a total of seven strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels, mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, and a land attack cruise missile (LACM) that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. [79] The Houthis said that 17 of its fighters were killed in the strikes. [80]
On 10 February, at about 4-5 p.m. local time, the US conducted five strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels and mobile anti-ship cruise missiles north of Al Hudaydah. [81]
On 13 February, the US conducted a strike on a Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missile that was being prepared to target ships in the region. [82]
On 14 February, the US conducted four strikes against seven anti-ship cruise missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles, and one explosive unmanned surface vessel in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. [83]
On 15 February, the US conducted two strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were being prepared to target ships in the Red Sea. [84]
On 16 February, the US conducted two strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles using unmanned surface vessels. [85]
On 17 February, the United States military said it destroyed a Houthi unmanned underwater vehicle and a Houthi unmanned surface vehicle while also conducting three strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles. [86]
On 20 February, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down by Houthi surface-to-air missiles near Hodeidah. [9]
On 21 February, the US conducted four strikes targeting Houthi anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the Red Sea. [87]
On 22 February, the US conducted six strikes targeting Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the region. [88]
On 23 February, the US conducted strikes against seven Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the region. [89]
On 24 February, at around 11:45 p.m. local time, the US and UK carried out over a dozen airstrikes targeting 18 Houthi sites, marking their fourth round of joint airstrikes. According to US officials, the strikes aimed at underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. [90] [91]
A day after the attacks, the Houthis' official news agency reported that a civilian was killed and eight others were injured. [92]
On 26 February, between 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. local time, US strikes destroyed three UAVs and two anti-ship cruise missiles. [93]
On 29 February, the US conducted two strikes targeting six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea. [94]
The US conducted a strike targeting a Houthi surface-to-air missile that was deemed as a threat to the US aircraft in the region. [95]
On 4 March, the US conducted strikes targeting two Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. [96]
On 6 March, the US conducted strikes against two unmanned aerial vehicles in a Houthi controlled area of Yemen that presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. [97]
On 7 March, the US conducted strikes against four mobile Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles and one Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [98]
On 8 March, the US conducted strikes against two Houthi truck-mounted anti-ship missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [99]
On 11 March, the US conducted six strikes destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. [100]
On 13 March, the US conducted strikes against four unmanned aerial systems and one surface-to-air missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [101]
On 14 March, The US conducted strikes against nine anti-ship missiles and two unmanned aerial vehicles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [102]
On 16 March, the US conducted strikes against five unmanned surface vessels and one UAV in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that posed a threat to shipping in the region. [103]
On 18 March, the US conducted strikes against seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles, and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [104]
On 22 March, the US conducted strikes against three Houthi underground storage facilities and four unmanned aerial vehicles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including in Sanaa. [105] [106]
On 30 March, the US conducted a strike on one unmanned aerial systems in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [107]
On 4 April, the US conducted a strike on one anti-ship missile in a Houthi controlled territory of Yemen. [108]
On 6 April, the US conducted strikes on one mobile surface-to air missile system in Houthi controlled territory of Yemen. [109]
On 8 April, the US conducted strikes on an air defense system and a ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [110]
On 10 April, the US conducted strikes on eight UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [111]
On 14 April, the US conducted strikes on four UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [112]
On 16 April, the US conducted strikes on two UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [113]
On 25 April, the US conducted strikes on one unmanned surface vessel and one unmanned aerial vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [114]
On 30 April, The US conducted strikes on one uncrewed surface vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [115]
On 2 May, the US conducted strikes on three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [116]
On 13 May, the US conducted strikes on one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [117]
On 15 May, the US conducted strikes on four uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [118]
On 22 May, the US conducted strikes on four uncrewed aerial system in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [119]
On 24 May, the US conducted strikes on one land attack cruise missile in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [120]
On 29 May, the US conducted strikes on two missile launchers in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [121]
On 30 May, the US and UK Armed Forces conducted strikes against 13 Houthi targets in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. US aircraft from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and other US warships in the area carried out airstrikes against underground facilities, missile launchers, command and control sites, a Houthi ship and other sites in Yemen. [122] Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s also carried out strikes in Hodeida and against Houthi weapons and infrastructure. In Hodeida, the Houthis said that civilian homes and the headquarters of Hodeida Radio were targeted. The Houthis acknowledged 16 deaths and 35 injuries, the highest death toll recorded throughout the US and UK campaign. [123]
Additionally, The US conducted strikes on eight uncrewed aerial vehicles in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [124]
On 7 June, the Houthis' official news outlet reported four joint US and UK airstrikes on Hodeida International Airport and the Port of Salif, [125] and two additional strikes on the Al-Thawra region. [126]
Later that day, the US also conducted strikes on four Unmanned aerial vehicles and two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Separately, US forces successfully destroyed a Houthi patrol boat in the Red Sea. [127] [128]
On 11 June, the US conducted strikes on two anti-ship cruise missile launchers in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. [129]
On 12 June, the US conducted strikes on three anti-ship cruise missile launchers in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. [130]
On 13 June, the US conducted strikes on an air defense sensor in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. [131]
On 14 June, the US conducted strikes on seven radars in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. The US said that the targeted radars had allowed the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping. [132]
On 15 June, the US Central Command stated that its military had destroyed seven Houthi radar systems in Yemen that enabled the group to locate and target merchant vessels. It also claimed that a Houthi UAV and two USVs in the Red Sea were destroyed simultaneously. [133] [134]
On 17 June, the US and the UK had carried out at least six airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport and four on the island of Kamaran. [135]
On 19 June, the US and the UK carried out three airstrikes on sites located in Al-Taif area of Ad Durayhimi District in Al Hudaydah Governorate, [136] and four airstrikes on the government complex in Al Jabin District of Raymah Governorate. [137]
On 28 June, CENTCOM stated that American strikes had destroyed seven drones and a UAV ground control station in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day. [138]
On 11 July, U.S and the U.K launched five airstrikes, hitting targets in the Ras Issa area located to the northwest of Al Hudaydah. [139] The U.S. Central Command meanwhile stated that it destroyed five Houthi USVs and two UAVs in the Red Sea, and another UAV in Houthi-controlled territory. [140]
On 12 July, CENTCOM stated that it had destroyed three UAVs in Houthi-controlled territory. [141] meanwhile Yemeni media reported that the U.S. and U.K. had carried out three airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport. [142]
On 14 July that the U.S. and U.K. carried out an airstrike in the Midi District of Hajjah Governorate, two airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, and also struck the al-Buhaisi area in Al Hudaydah Governorate. [143] [144] The U.S. Central Command stated that the U.S. military had destroyed two Houthi UAVs and one USV in the Red Sea, in addition to destroying another UAV in territory controlled by the group. [145]
On 26 July, the US and the UK carried out four airstrikes on Kamaran island. [146]
On 27 July, the US and the UK carried out four airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, which according to residents struck Houthi targets. [147]
On 3 August, the US Central Command announced that US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile and launcher. [148]
Bab-el-Mandeb transits by cargo vessels
over 10,000 deadweight tonnage (approx.) [149]
Before attacks
After first Houthi ship seizure/attack (19 November 2023)
After naval protection operation started (18 December 2023)
After US/UK attack on Yemen mainland (12 January 2024)
According to Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of the US military's Joint Staff, the initial strikes on 12 January successfully achieved their objective of damaging the Houthis' ability to launch complex drone and missile attacks similar to the one they conducted on 10 January. Two US officials, speaking to The New York Times , estimated that the strikes had damaged or destroyed about 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis' offensive capability. Despite damaging or destroying about 90 percent of the selected targets struck, the officials added that locating Houthi targets had proved to be more challenging than anticipated. [150] On 18 January, Joe Biden acknowledged that the strikes had not stopped the Houthis from continuing to attack shipping, but said that efforts to stop them would continue. [151]
According to Yemeni sources who spoke to Sky News Arabia , as of 21 January, at least 75 Houthi fighters, including six members of the Lebanese Hezbollah, three Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and two Iranian-backed Iraqi militants, have been killed in the ongoing bombing campaign. [13]
The internationally recognized Government of Yemen issued a statement to Saba News Agency strongly condemning military actions by the Houthis blaming them for "dragging the country into a military confrontation arena for propaganda purposes" and "misleadingly linking it to support for Palestinians".
The government reaffirmed its right to enhance security in the Red Sea region, saying stability there and globally "cannot be achieved except by restoring the legitimate state institutions in Yemen." Reaffirming its support for the Palestinian cause, the Yemeni government warned that "the Israeli aggression in occupied territories risks further destabilizing the region and threatening international peace and security". [152]
In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council and president of the Southern Transitional Council, said that the missile strikes were not enough to deter the Houthi attacks and said that "an international and regional alliance is necessary to secure international navigation in the Red Sea." He also urged foreign forces to support government forces in launching a ground operation against the Houthis in conjunction with the strikes. [153]
Houthi deputy foreign minister Hussein al-Izzi called the attacks "blatant aggression" and said the US and UK would "pay a heavy price" in an interview with Al-Masirah. [3] Similarly, high-ranking Houthi official Ali al-Qahoum vowed there would be retaliation. [1] Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the group, announced that the Houthis would continue to target Israeli ships or any ships heading to "the ports of occupied Palestine," saying that the US and UK were wrong to think that the strikes "would deter Yemen from supporting Palestine and Gaza". [3]
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, stated, "Every individual in this world is faced with two choices that have no third: Either to stand with the victims of genocide or to stand with its perpetrators." [154]
Following the initial strikes on 12 January, protests attended by hundreds of thousands of people were held in Sanaa and in other Houthi-controlled cities such as Hodeida and Ibb, to denounce the US and British military actions, with demonstrators chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". [155]
Following China Ocean Shipping Company, the fourth largest shipping company, and its container shipping subsidiary OOCL stopping all services to Israel, [156] a senior Houthi official said Chinese and Russian vessels not connected with Israel will have safe passage. [157]
Reactions from the US Congress were mixed, with some supporting the strikes and others condemning Biden for using military force without congressional approval. Some critics said that in accordance with Article 1 of the Constitution, Biden needed to seek authorization from Congress before initiating military action. [158] Under Article Two of the United States Constitution, the president has the limited authority to take defensive military action without Congressional approval, though supporters and opponents of the strikes disagree that the strikes can be considered defensive. Legal experts have argued that ambiguity in existing law allows for Congress to place limits on the president's authority to take military action without its approval. [159] Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell welcomed the action but said the president's decision was overdue. [158] Biden said that he has sent a message to Iran with the Yemen strikes. [160]
Joe Biden stated that the "defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels' escalating attacks against commercial vessels" and added that he would "not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary". [161] Following the airstrike on 13 January, Biden said that the US had sent a "private message" to Iran regarding the Houthis. [162]
Protesters from Code Pink and the ANSWER Coalition gathered outside the White House several hours after the strikes. In New York City, pro-Palestinian protestors gathered at Times Square. [163]
On 17 January, the Biden administration restored the Houthi movement to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist entities, but did not redesignate it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. [164]
According to a survey conducted by the Harvard CAPS–Harris Poll on 17–18 January 2024, 74% of American respondents supported strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. [165]
Rishi Sunak said that the strikes stemmed from the principle of self-defense. He also confirmed that the UK received non-operational assistance and support from the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain. [2] [166]
The UK noted that initial indications suggest the Houthis' ability to threaten commercial shipping has "taken a blow". [8] The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party of England and Wales criticized the Sunak government for bypassing parliament, while the leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons, Stephen Flynn, said that it was "incumbent upon the UK Government to appraise Parliament as soon as possible and MPs must therefore be recalled to Westminster". [167]
According to a YouGov poll conducted on 15–16 January 2024, 53% of British respondents supported the government's decision to launch strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, while 22% opposed. [168]
The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), which covers 62% of world shipping tonnage, recommended that its members halt Red Sea transit for up to 72 hours as a result of the strikes. The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) recommended that its members halt Red Sea transit for up to 24 hours. [40]
QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, suspended sending tankers through the Red Sea. [199] [200] The LNG tankers were forced to sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the war zone. [201]
A joint statement by 26 humanitarian organizations operating in Yemen raised concerns that the military escalation "will only worsen the situation for vulnerable civilians and hinder the ability of aid organisations to deliver critical services." It also urged all parties "to prioritise diplomatic channels over military options to de-escalate the crisis and safeguard the progress of peace efforts in Yemen." [202]
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of ten Nimitz-class aircraft carriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the 34th President of the United States and General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The vessel was initially named simply as USS Eisenhower, much like the lead ship of the class, Nimitz, but the name was changed to its present form on 25 May 1970. The carrier, like all others of her class, was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia, with the same design as the lead ship, although the ship has been overhauled twice to bring her up to the standards of those constructed more recently.
USS Laboon (DDG-58) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for Father John Francis Laboon (1921–1988), a captain in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Navy, who was awarded the Silver Star during World War II while serving on the submarine USS Peto.
USS Carney (DDG-64) is the 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The guided-missile destroyer is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.
USS Mason (DDG-87) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of the Black crewmembers who served on board USS Mason (DE-529) during the period of racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces.
HMS Diamond is the third ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence guided missile destroyers built for the Royal Navy. She was launched in 2007, and completed her contractor's sea trials and arrived at her base port in 2010. Diamond formally entered service in 2011.
The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaidi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely from the Houthi tribe.
An anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is a military ballistic missile system designed to hit a warship at sea.
United States drone strikes in Yemen started after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, when the US military attacked the Islamist militant presence in Yemen, in particular Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula using drone warfare.
On 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition of nine countries from West Asia and North Africa, launched an intervention in Yemen at the request of Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had been ousted from the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 by Houthi insurgents during the Yemeni Civil War. Efforts by the United Nations to facilitate a power sharing arrangement under a new transitional government collapsed, leading to escalating conflict between government forces, Houthi rebels, and other armed groups, which culminated in Hadi fleeing to Saudi Arabia shortly before it began military operations in the country.
The Battle of Port Midi refers to a battle during the Yemeni Civil War between the Saudi coalition-backed Hadi loyalists and the Houthi government. Although Hadi loyalists seized the port, the Houthi fighters along with the popular committees managed to conduct some attacks around Midi. The conflict also had spillovers in the rest of the Hajjah Governorate. On 26 January 2017, Hadi loyalists extended their control to Harad District in Hajjah Governorate.
The following is a timeline of the Yemeni civil war, which began in September 2014.
The Red Sea crisis began on 19 October 2023, when the Iran-backed Ansar Allah in Yemen launched missiles and armed drones at Israel, demanding an end to the invasion of the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have since seized and launched aerial attacks against dozens of merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea, drawing hundreds of air strikes on missile sites and other targets by US and allied forces. The crisis is linked to the Israel–Hamas war, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, the Iran–United States proxy conflict, and the Yemeni crisis.
Events in the year 2024 in Yemen.
Operation Prosperity Guardian is a United States-led military operation by a multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
On 30 December 2023, Houthi forces in the Gulf of Aden attacked the Maersk commercial vessel Maersk Hangzhou. Early the next day, Houthis again attacked the Maersk Hangzhou, attempting to board the freighter. The Maersk Hangzhou made a distress signal, to which U.S. Navy forces of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and destroyer USS Gravely responded. The U.S., along with Maersk security personnel aboard the ship, repelled the attack. The U.S. sank three Houthi vessels, killing ten Houthis. Maersk announced a 48-hour pause on shipping through the Red Sea following the incident.
These are monthly timelines of the Red Sea crisis, which began on 19 October 2023.
Since the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, which has mostly been confined to southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, a number of armed clashes and standoffs have been reported in other parts of the Middle East, particularly involving Shia Islamist militias backed by Iran. There has been speculation that any escalation of these incidents, specifically between Israel and Hezbollah—an Iranian-backed Shia militia which is based in southern Lebanon and which is more powerful than the Lebanese Armed Forces —could bring the entire region into a full-scale military conflict. In addition to the Israel–Hezbollah conflict, the Iranian-backed Houthi militia—which controls parts of northern Yemen, but is not internationally recognized as the country's government —became directly involved in the conflict by firing missiles at Israeli cities, albeit on a limited scale; the Houthis have since focused more on seizing civilian cargo ships passing through the Red Sea in order to inflict economic losses on Israel and the global economy, evoking American and British airstrikes against Houthi-controlled Yemen. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have also mounted numerous attacks against American military bases in the region; these confrontations have increasingly escalated tensions between long-time adversaries Iran and the United States, especially after the 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria. In the West Bank, over 100 Palestinians have been killed in armed confrontations with Israeli soldiers and Israeli settlers, as violence in the territory increased drastically following the Hamas-led attack on Israel.
On 30 May 2024, the United States and United Kingdom conducted a joint set of airstrikes in Sanaa and Hodeidah, Yemen, killing 16 people and injuring 42. The United States and United Kingdom claimed that the strikes were targeting members of the Houthi rebel group; however, the Houthis claimed all those killed or injured in the strikes were civilians.
On 12 June 2024, the Yemeni Houthi movement attacked the MV Tutor, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, in the southern Red Sea with an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) and an anti-ship missile, killing one crewmember. The vessel was seriously damaged, and later abandoned by her crew. She sank six days after the attacks. The attacks mark the first successful usage of a USV and the second sinking by the Houthis in the Red Sea crisis.
On 20 July 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an attack on Hudaydah Port in Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The attack damaged a power generating station, an oil refinery, fuel storage facilities belonging to the Yemen Petroleum Corporation (YPC), and port cranes. Israel claimed it targeted weapon storage facilities. 14 people were killed, including 12 port employees and more than 90 were injured, many with severe burns.
Al-Houthi said that 452 attacks by US and UK armies on militia-controlled regions had killed 40 people and injured 35 others since January.
...Defense officials told CNN that U.S. and U.K. Navy destroyers shot down a total of 24 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen.
"Ne mbështesim Rezolutën 2722 të miratuar nga Këshilli i Sigurimit i OKB-së dhe qëndrimin e përbashkët për fundin e menjëhershëm të sulmeve të paligjshme të Houthi-ve, të cilat minojnë rendin ndërkombëtar, ekonominë globale dhe rrjedhën e lirë të tregtisë nga sulmet e paprecedentë, destabilizuese, të paligjshme dhe të pajustifikueshme të Houthi-ve kundër anijeve detare ndërkombëtare në Detin e Kuq" shkruhet në reagimin e Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes.
中国常驻联合国代表张军表示, 有关国家对也门悍然采取的军事行动不仅造成基础设施破坏和平民伤亡, 也加剧了红海水域的安全风险, 无助于保护商船安全和航行自由, 有关军事行动还可能冲击也门政治进程.我们看不出这样的军事行动如何能够实现所宣称的预期目标.中方指出, 安理会从未授权任何国家对也门使用武力.