Despite warnings of a dangerous escalation, the US again bombs Yemen’s rebels

The United States launched a new attack on Yemen’s Houthi rebels this Saturday, a day after a barrage of attacks against this group that he threatened to continue his actions against ships in the Red Sea, a crucial route for global trade.

“US forces carried out an attack on a Houthi radar in Yemen” around 3:45 a.m. Saturday, according to a US military statement.

The United States said Saturday’s attack was “a follow-up action on a specific military target” related to the previous day’s attacks.

Houthi media reported that the attack hit Al Dailami air base in the capital, Sana’a, which has been controlled since 2014 by the Iranian-backed rebel group.

These bombings against Yemen Fears of a regional conflagration are intensifying of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The United States, the United Kingdom and eight allies have assured that the operation aims to “ease tensions” and “restore stability in the Red Sea” after numerous Houthi attacks in those waters.

The Houthis They promised to continue their actions in this important maritime trade route and warned that “all American and British interests have become legitimate objectives.”

These rebels have controlled parts of Yemen since the civil war broke out in 2014 and are part of the self-proclaimed movement “axis of resistance”which includes Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and other armed groups hostile to Israel and supported by Iran.

The activity of these movements in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria has increased since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in early October 2023.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on all parties “not to aggravate” the unstable situation in the region, his spokesman said.

The United Nations Security Council met in an emergency meeting on Friday to address the attacks, just days after adopting a resolution calling on the Houthis to stop attacking shipping in the Red Sea.

The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasili Nebenzia, denounced a “blatant armed aggression” by the United States against the entire population of this country on the Arabian Peninsula.

Tension in the Red Sea

The rebel group has been attacking ships allegedly linked to Israel for weeks who cross the Red Sea, through which 12% of world trade passes, in “solidarity” with the Palestinians of Gaza.

The United States and its allies struck nearly 30 positions and used more than 150 shells on Friday, said Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to the Houthi Al Marisah television network, the attacks targeted an air base, airports and a military camp. A Houthi military spokesman said at least five people had been killed.

US President Joe Biden said he did not believe the action left civilian casualties and warned He “will not hesitate” to order further military operations if necessary.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Houthis’ breach of international law deserved a “strong signal” in response.

But Naser Kanani, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, estimates that Western attacks will fuel “insecurity and instability in the region” and “divert” attention from Gaza.

Analysts estimate that attacks by Western powers are unlikely to be able to stop the rebels.

“They will reduce, but not end, the Houthi threat to shipping,” said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Hits to a key global trade route

Since November 19, the Houthis have launched 27 attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, according to the US military.

This instability has led numerous shipping companies to hijack ships transiting between Asia and Europe to have them skirt the African continent, which increases transportation times and costs.

According to shipping experts, the number of container ships crossing the Red Sea has decreased by 70% since mid-November.

In Sana’a, hundreds of thousands of people, some brandishing Kalashnikov rifles, gathered for a protest where they waved Yemeni and Palestinian flags and held up portraits of Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi, an AFP journalist saw .

“Death to America, death to Israel,” the protesters chanted.

In Tehran, hundreds of people protested against the US, UK and Israel, burning the flags of all three countries, and expressed their support for Gaza and Yemen.

Source: AP