U.S. and U.K. Strike Houthi Targets in Yemen

American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes against 18 Houthi targets in Yemen, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by rebels.

The strikes “specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen" including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, a joint statement said.

It was co-signed by Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand, who gave unspecified "support" to the new round of strikes, the second this month and fourth since the rebels began their attacks on ships in the region.

The Houthis now have more than 45 attacks on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November constitute a threat to the global economy, as well as regional security and stability, and demand an international response,'' the statement said.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah television reported "a series of raids on the capital Sanaa," while correspondents in the rebel-controlled city in western Yemen said they heard several loud bangs.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree was defiant, vowing in a social media statement that the rebels would "confront the American-British escalation with more qualitative military operations against all hostile targets in the Red and Arab Seas."

The UK Ministry of Defence said four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s targeted "several very long-range drones, used by the Houthis for both reconnaissance and attack missions," at a site northeast of Sanaa.

Operation comes after several merchant vessels were struck this week in the region, including the fertilizer-filled Rubymar, whose crew had to abandon ship after it was hit several days ago and began taking on water.

British maritime security agency UKMTO reported another attack on an unspecified ship near the port of Djibouti.