Washington, DC [US], January 12 (ANI): After the United States, along with its allies, launched attacks in Yemen, President Joe Biden said on Thursday (local time) that the targeted strikes were a clear message that the escalation of attacks by the Houthi rebels against commercial vessels would not be tolerated.
“Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and the Houthi rebels‘ escalating attacks against commercial vessels. 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,” a White House press release quoted Biden as saying.
“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary,” he said. US, along with UK and support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen yesterday.
“Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces–together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands–successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” the US President said in a statement on Thursday.
In his statement, Biden said that Houthis “launched their largest attack to date–directly targeting American ships” on January 9. “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. These attacks have endangered US personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardised trade, and threatened freedom of navigation,” Biden said.
“More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea, which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date–directly targeting American ships,” he added.
He said that the response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute. “Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian–a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease. And yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels,” Biden said.
The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, started the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s Gaza conflict. The Houthis have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.
Yemen’s Houthis have launched several drone and missile attacks at Israel, with most intercepted, since the war started.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, after thousands of Hamas terrorists crossed the border and killed scores of Israelis. The Houthis claim solidarity with Gaza, reporting over 20,900 killed. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council in New York is scheduled to vote on January 10 on a draft resolution that the US has submitted, reported Al Jazeera. The resolution denounces the attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and calls for an immediate cessation of such acts, along with the release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew. (ANI)
