UK and US Conduct Joint Airstrike on Houthi Drone Facility in Yemen
London, UK – April 30 (ANI): The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) joined the United States in a coordinated airstrike on a key Houthi military facility in Yemen, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on Tuesday.
The precision strike, conducted on April 29, targeted a site believed to be involved in the manufacture of drones used by the Houthi militia to attack international shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The action comes in response to the Houthis’ continued assault on commercial maritime traffic since November 2023.
According to the UK MoD, RAF Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets, supported by Voyager air-to-air refuelling tankers, deployed Paveway IV precision-guided bombs to neutralise a cluster of buildings located approximately 15 miles south of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. The operation was planned meticulously to ensure minimal risk to civilians and surrounding infrastructure, and was carried out after dark to further reduce the likelihood of civilian presence.
“All of our aircraft subsequently returned safely,” the MoD confirmed. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the ministry wrote: “Overnight, @RoyalAirForce Typhoons conducted strikes against a Houthi military target in Yemen to defend freedom of navigation, strengthen regional stability, protect UK economic security, and reduce the Houthis' capacity to launch further attacks.”
The strike is the latest in a series of military actions against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) disclosed that since March 15, U.S. forces have conducted over 800 precision strikes against Houthi targets. These efforts, according to CENTCOM, have resulted in a 69% drop in ballistic missile attacks and a 55% decrease in drone strikes against commercial vessels.
While CENTCOM acknowledged the success of the campaign in curbing Houthi aggression, it reiterated its stance on maintaining operational secrecy. “We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do,” the command said in a statement.
Houthi attacks intensified following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict in late 2023. Although the group initially claimed they would only target ships linked to Israel, they have since expanded their assaults to include vessels associated with several other nations.
The Houthis have controlled large swathes of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014. Their actions continue to destabilize regional security and threaten international maritime trade routes critical to global economic stability.
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