US launches fourth round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen

On Wednesday night, Pentagon officials confirmed that the United States conducted a fourth round of strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. American forces targeted 14 Houthi missiles, believed to be potentially aimed at shipping in the Red Sea. The strikes were fired using Tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. Navy vessels, as reported by Centcom, the U.S. Middle East command.

The strike coincided with the US officially designating the Houthis as “global terrorists.” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan explained that this decision, reversing an earlier move by the Biden administration, was a response to the militants’ persistent attacks on commercial shipping in the region.

The Houthi assaults on merchant vessels began in November, citing Israel’s military operation in Gaza as justification. Subsequently, the group launched numerous attacks on commercial tankers navigating the Red Sea, a vital global shipping route.

In reaction to these provocations, the U.S. and the UK initiated a series of air strikes against numerous Houthi targets on January 11. The international coalition supported these strikes, including Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, and Canada. 

The strikes on Houthi targets on Wednesday followed additional attacks on commercial shipping. Earlier in the day, the group targeted a U.S.-owned and operated vessel for the second time within the week.