UK Joins US in Escalating Airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi Rebels
“This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation,” said UK Defense Secretary John Healey.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The United Kingdom has launched airstrikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen for the first time under the Trump administration’s renewed military campaign, marking a significant escalation in Western involvement in the region, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.
The strikes, carried out in coordination with the United States, targeted a cluster of buildings approximately 25 kilometers south of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a. According to the UK Ministry of Defense, the site was believed to be used by the "Iranian-backed" Houthis for the production of drones responsible for repeated attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
“This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation,” said UK Defense Secretary John Healey. “A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fueling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK.”
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets participated in the strike, deploying Paveway IV precision-guided bombs in a nighttime operation intended to minimize civilian casualties. The British government has yet to disclose details on the extent of the damage or possible casualties resulting from the strikes.
This marks the UK’s first strike under Operation Rough Rider, a US-led campaign that has intensified since President Donald Trump’s return to office. While the UK participated in joint airstrikes during the Biden administration earlier this year, Wednesday’s operation is the first under the new phase of military escalation.
According to the Houthis, several airstrikes hit the capital Sana’a and the northern stronghold of Saada. The attacks come amid ongoing US-Houthi tensions and as the Trump administration enters negotiations with Iran over its advancing nuclear program.
The joint operation follows a controversial US strike on Monday that reportedly hit a migrant detention center, killing at least 68 African migrants and injuring 47. The US military has said it is investigating the incident. Just weeks earlier, an American strike on April 18 at Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port killed at least 74 and wounded 171, in what remains the deadliest strike in the campaign.
US forces have been launching strikes from aircraft carriers USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea and USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea. The US has cited continued Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and Israel as justification for its military actions. The Houthis, part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” remain one of the few militant groups in the alliance still actively targeting Israel.
The renewed military campaign underscores growing international concern over the stability of critical maritime trade routes and broader Middle East security.
