In support of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a Sailor aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) uses high-powered binoculars to keep an eye on shipping in the Red Sea. (Task Force 153 via Twitter) WASHINGTON — Military forces of the United States and the United Kingdom today launched strikes against “a number of targets” in Yemen that the Biden administration said were “used by Houthi rebels.” “These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement late today. “These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes.” Biden said the strikes were conducted “together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands” and were “successful,” but offered no further details. In a separate statement, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes “targeted the Houthis’ unmanned aerial vehicle, uncrewed surface vessel, land-attack cruise missile, and costal radar and air surveillance capabilities.” A senior military official told reporters tonight the strikes were carried out by a “variety of manned aircraft” from the US Air Force and Navy and some fighter jets from Britain, and used “precision” munitions to minimize collateral damage. That official, and a senior administration official, declined to say what role the other nations played in the operation. “This was a significant action and conducted with every objective and every expectation it will degrade, in a significant way, the Houthi capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks they have […]
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