Since 12 January 2024, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, with support from

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, have launched a series of

cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...

and

airstrike An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...

s, codenamed Operation Poseidon Archer, against the

Houthi movement The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydism, Zaydi Shia Islamism, Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadersh ...

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

response Response may refer to: *Call and response (music), musical structure *Reaction (disambiguation) *Request–response **Output or response, the result of telecommunications input *Response (liturgy), a line answering a versicle * Response (music) o ...

to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis had previously declared that their attacks are in support of

Palestinians Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenou ...

during the

Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...

; Houthi attacks on shipping were condemned by the

United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...

the day before the initial strike. US President

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

ordered the strikes, and UK Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2022 to 2024. Following his defeat to Keir Starmer's La ...

convened his cabinet to authorize British participation. American officials said the strikes were intended to degrade Houthi capabilities to attack

Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...

targets rather than to kill leaders and Iranian trainers. By 2 January 2025, the Houthis recorded 931 American and British airstrikes against its sites in Yemen, resulting in 106 deaths and 314 injuries. The strikes were halted after the

2025 Gaza war ceasefire A List of Arab–Israeli prisoner exchanges, hostages-and-prisoners exchange and armistice between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip took effect from 19 January to 18 March 2025, during the Gaza war. It includ ...

, but were resumed and intensified by US President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

on 15 March under the code name

Operation Rough Rider Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

, with over 1,000 airstrikes having been conducted by the end of April. On May 6, President Donald Trump declared the strikes to be over, "effective immediately," as a result of a

ceasefire A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...

between the U.S. and the Houthis, brokered by

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

Background

On 16 February 2021, the Biden administration removed Ansar Allah, the formal political and military organization of the

, from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) blacklist, due to concerns that the designation would impede the delivery of humanitarian aid amid Yemen's worsening political and socioeconomic crisis, as the Houthis controlled much of the most populated territory in Yemen. In April 2022, the United Nations brokered a ceasefire between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized

Presidential Leadership Council The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC; ) is the executive body of Yemen's internationally recognized government, formed on 7 April 2022. It is chaired by Rashad al-Alimi and has a membership of eight, including representatives from Southe ...

(PLC), which, despite formally lapsing the following October, continues to hold as of December 2023. With the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Iran-backed,

Houthi The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely ...

-controlled

Supreme Political Council The Supreme Political Council (SPC; ) is an extraconstitutional collective head of state and rival executive established in 2016 in Sanaa by the Houthis and the pro-Houthi faction of the General People's Congress (GPC) to rule Yemen opposed ...

declared its support for

Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...

and began launching attacks on commercial ships transiting the

, especially in the

Bab el-Mandeb The Bab-el-Mandeb (), the Gate of Grief or the Gate of Tears, is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and by extension the Indian Ocean. ...

, the narrow

strait A strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and flows through the strait in both directions, even though the topography generally constricts the ...

that connects the Red Sea to the

Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden (; ) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, the Socotra Archipelago, Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland to the south. ...

. While the Houthis initially claimed to target only commercial ships bound for Israeli ports or with some link to Israel, they soon began indiscriminately targeting vessels, attempting attacks on ships with no discernible Israeli ties. Israeli National Security Advisor

Tzachi Hanegbi Tzachi Hanegbi (; born 26 February 1957) is an Israeli politician and national security expert serving as Israel's National Security Advisor. A member of Likud, Hanegbi previously served as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mini ...

warned that "Israel is giving the world some time to organize in order to prevent this but if there isn't to be a global arrangement, because it is a global issue, we will act in order to remove this naval siege." To launch attacks on Red Sea shipping, the Houthis use coastal missile batteries,

loitering munition A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone, is a weapon with a warhead that is typically designed to Loiter (aeronautics), loiter until a target is designated, then crash into it.fast attack craft armed with light

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

s, machine guns, and

anti-tank missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a missile guidance, guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy armoured fighting vehicle, heavily armored military v ...

s. By 21 December 2023, the

Port of Eilat The Port of Eilat () is the only Israeli port on the Red Sea, located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. This strategic location has given it outsized importance despite being remote from the country's main population centers, and access ...

, which gives Israel via the Red Sea its only easy shipping access to Asia without the need to transit the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

, had seen an 85% drop in activity due to the Houthi action. Before the Houthi attack on the freighter '' Maersk Hangzhou'' on 30 December 2023, the United States had shot down a total of 24 Houthi missiles and drones and deployed naval ships to protect Red Sea

shipping lane A sea lane, sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels (ships) on wide waterways such as oceans and large lakes, and is preferably safe, direct and economic. During the Age of Sail, they were determined ...

s, but had not engaged directly with the Houthis. A considerable number of freighters have continued to transit, with mostly large

container ship A container ship (also called boxship or spelled containership) is a cargo ship that carries all of its load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. Container ships are a common means of commercial intermodal ...

s diverting away rather than other shipping, with the strait continuing to be heavily used by

bulk carrier A bulk carrier or bulker is a merchant ship specially naval architecture, designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo—such as Grain trade, grain, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement—in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrie ...

s and

tankers Tanker may refer to: Transportation * Tanker, a tank crewman (US) * Tanker (ship), a ship designed to carry bulk liquids ** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk ** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanke ...

which are under different contract arrangements and often from countries supportive of Gaza's situation so perceiving a minimal risk from ongoing Houthi attacks. In the first week of January 2024 the average number of freighters active each day in the Red Sea included 105 bulk carriers and 58 tankers, down from 115 bulk carriers and 70 tankers the week before. In contrast, six of the ten largest container shipping companies were largely avoiding the Red Sea, with relatively few container ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb strait from 18 December 2023. As of January 2024, most

marine insurance Marine insurance covers the physical loss or damage of ships, cargo, terminals, and any transport by which the property is transferred, acquired, or held between the points of origin and the final destination. Cargo insurance a sub-branch of mari ...

s require a warranty of no Israeli involvement to insure vessels for the Red Sea route, with some requiring warranties of no US or UK interest and no calls to Israeli ports in the last 12 months. On 3 January 2024, the United States and a group of countries issued an ultimatum to the Houthis to stop their activities. In the days leading up to the strike, members of the

US Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

and

The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...

demanded a strong and deterrent response to the Houthis. One day before the strike, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution condemning Houthi activities in the Red Sea, in which Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique abstained.

Timeline

January 2024

On 12 January, the first wave of strikes began around 2:30 a.m. Yemen time (UTC+3). American fighter jets, armed with precision-guided bombs, were dispatched from regional bases. Simultaneously, 22 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18s, took off from the aircraft carrier . In addition, the

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several operational roles from search-and-destroy to ocean escort to sea ...

, the

destroyers In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

, and , along with the

cruise-missile submarine A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles ( SLCMs consisting of land-attack cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a warship's ability to attack surfac ...

, launched a total of 80 Tomahawk cruise missiles. During this first wave of strikes, more than 100 missiles hit more than 60 targets in 16 locations. About 30 to 60 minutes later, a second wave of more than 50 missiles struck dozens more targets in 12 other locations. The

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

reported four

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

Typhoon jets flew from the

RAF Akrotiri Royal Air Force Akrotiri, commonly abbreviated RAF Akrotiri (; ) is a large Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akroti ...

airbase in

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

in the strike. Two Royal Air Force

Voyager Voyager may refer to: Computing and communications * LG Voyager, a mobile phone model manufactured by LG Electronics * NCR Voyager, a computer platform produced by NCR Corporation * Voyager (computer worm), a computer worm affecting Oracle ...

air-to-air refueling tankers supported the mission. The

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

announced that it had targeted two sites. One, at Bani in northwestern Yemen, had been used to launch reconnaissance and attack drones. The other was

Abs Airport Abs is an airport serving the town of Abs in Yemen. On 11 January 2024, the Royal Air Force struck an airfield at the airport, which the U.S. and UK said was a launch site for cruise missiles and drones launched by the Houthis against merchan ...

, which, according to the MoD, had been used to launch cruise missiles and drones at targets in the Red Sea. Explosions were reported in

Sanaa Sanaa, officially the Sanaa Municipality, is the ''de jure'' capital and largest city of Yemen. The city is the capital of the Sanaa Governorate, but is not part of the governorate, as it forms a separate administrative unit. At an elevation ...

Hodeidah Hodeidah (), also transliterated as Hodeda, Hodeida, Hudaida or al-Hudaydah, is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and its principal port on the Red Sea and it is the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate. As of 2023, it had an estimated population o ...

, and Dhamar. The targets included logistics centres, air defense systems, and weapons storage sites. According to

Al-Masirah Al-Masirah ( ''al-Masirah'', which means "The Journey") is a Yemeni TV channel owned by the Houthi movement which was launched in 2012. It is headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon. History The President of the board of Al-Masirah is Mohammed Abduls ...

, a Houthi-run news channel, the strikes hit

Hodeida International Airport Hodeidah International Airport is an airport in Hodeida, Yemen . Airlines and destinations As of 2021, there are no longer any scheduled services at the airport after Yemenia suspended all routes in 2015 due to the ongoing regional conflict. Pr ...

Taiz International Airport Taiz International Airport (, ) is a public airport located in Taiz, the capital of the Taiz Governorate, Yemen. Airlines and destinations As of 2021, there are no longer any scheduled services at the airport after Yemenia suspended all routes ...

, al-Dailami Air Base (which shares the runway with

Sanaa International Airport Sanaa International Airport is the primary international airport of Yemen located in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. It serves Sanaa City, as well as the entire population of the northern provinces of Yemen. Initially, a small passenger terminal wa ...

), an airport near

Hajjah Hajjah () is the capital city of Hajjah Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located 127 kilometres northwest of Sana'a, at an elevation of about 1800 metres. As of 2003, the Hajjah City District had a population of 53,887 inhabitants. E ...

, and a camp east of

Saada Saada (), located in the northwest of Yemen, is the capital and largest city of the governorate bearing the same name, as well as the administrative seat of the eponymous district. The city lies in the Serat (Sarawat) mountains at an altitude o ...

. This set of airstrikes began . On 13 January, At 3:45 a.m. Yemen time (UTC+3) the US struck a radar site near Sanaa, which Al-Masirah reported was at Al-Dailami Air Base. US Central Command said the "follow-on action" was conducted by the destroyer with Tomahawk missiles. On 16 January, at 4:15 a.m local time, the US conducted new airstrikes in Yemen, targeting four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles that US officials said were being prepared to target ships in the region. On 17 January, at about 11:59 p.m. local time, US ships and submarines fired missiles against 14 Houthi missiles that US officials said were an immediate threat to ships in the region. On 18 January, at 3:40 p.m. local time, the US struck three Houthi anti-ship missiles that US officials said were being prepared to target commercial ships in the region. On 19 January, at 6:45 p.m. local time, US Navy F/A-18 aircraft from the USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' targeted Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen that US officials said were being prepared for launch. Al-Masirah reported airstrikes in the al-Jabaana neighborhood of Hodeida. On 20 January, at 4 a.m. local time, a US airstrikes hit a Houthi anti-ship missile that US officials said was prepared to target shipping in the

. On 22 January, at about 11:59 p.m. local time, the US and UK conducted joint air and missile strikes against on eight Houthi targets across Yemen, including radars and drone and missile sites.

reported airstrikes in Sanaa and al-Dailami Air Base. On 27 January, at about 3:45 a.m. local time, US forces hit a Houthi anti-ship missile that US officials said was being prepared for use against ships in the Red Sea. On 31 January, at about 3:30 p.m. local time, the US conducted a strike against a Houthi

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...

that US officials said posed an imminent threat to US aircraft.

February 2024

On 1 February, at about 1:30 a.m. local time, the US conducted strikes against a Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs. On 3 February, at about 7:20 p.m. local time, the US struck six anti-ship cruise missiles that US officials said were an "imminent threat" as they were being prepared to launch against vessels in the Red Sea. Later that day, at about 11:30 p.m. local time, the US and UK struck 36 Houthi targets at 13 locations: underground storage facilities, command and control centers, missile systems, UAV storage and operational sites, radars, and helicopters. The sites were struck using F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS ''Dwight D Eisenhower'' and Tomahawk missiles fired by the USS ''Gravely'' and the USS ''Carney'' from the Red Sea. Explosions were reported in Sanaa following the strikes. Sky News Arabia reported that over 40 Houthi fighters were killed in the airstrikes conducted that day. On 4 February, at about 4 a.m. local time, the US struck an anti-ship cruise missile which was determined as an imminent threat. Additional strikes occurred at 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. local time, targeting five land attack cruise missiles that US officials said were being prepared for launch against merchant and US Navy ships. On 7 February, at 9 p.m. local time, the US conducted strikes against two Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles. A second strike against a Houthi mobile land attack cruise missile occurred at 11:30 p.m. as it prepared to target ships in the Red Sea. Houthi media reported that locations in

Al Hudaydah Governorate Al Hudaydah () is a governorate of Yemen. Its capital is Al Hudaydah. The governorate is also sometimes referred to as the Western Coast. With an estimated population of nearly 4 million, it is the third-most populous governorate in Yemen, behind ...

were targeted. On 8 February, the US conducted seven strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels and anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. On 9 February, the US conducted a total of seven strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels, mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, and a land attack cruise missile (LACM) that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis said that 17 of its fighters were killed in the strikes. On 10 February, at about 4-5 p.m. local time, the US conducted five strikes against Houthi unmanned surface vessels and mobile anti-ship cruise missiles north of Al Hudaydah. On 13 February, the US conducted a strike on a Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missile that was being prepared to target ships in the region. On 14 February, the US conducted four strikes against seven anti-ship cruise missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles, and one explosive unmanned surface vessel in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. On 15 February, the US conducted two strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were being prepared to target ships in the Red Sea. On 16 February, the US conducted two strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles using unmanned surface vessels. On 17 February, the United States military said it destroyed a Houthi

unmanned underwater vehicle Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), also known as underwater drones, are submersible vehicles that can operate underwater without a human occupant. These vehicles may be divided into two categories: remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROUVs) an ...

and a Houthi unmanned surface vehicle while also conducting three strikes against Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles. On 20 February, a US

MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...

drone was shot down by Houthi surface-to-air missiles near Hodeidah. On 21 February, the US conducted four strikes targeting Houthi anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the Red Sea. On 22 February, the US conducted six strikes targeting Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the region. On 23 February, the US conducted strikes against seven Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to target shipping in the region. On 24 February, at around 11:45 p.m. local time, the US and UK carried out over a dozen airstrikes targeting 18 Houthi sites, marking their fourth round of joint airstrikes. According to US officials, the strikes aimed at underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. A day after the attacks, the Houthis' official news agency reported that a civilian was killed and eight others were injured. On 26 February, between 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. local time, US strikes destroyed three UAVs and two anti-ship cruise missiles. On 29 February, the US conducted two strikes targeting six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea.

March 2024

The US conducted a strike targeting a Houthi surface-to-air missile that was deemed as a threat to the US aircraft in the region. On 4 March, the US conducted strikes targeting two Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. On 6 March, the US conducted strikes against two unmanned aerial vehicles in a Houthi controlled area of Yemen that presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. On 7 March, the US conducted strikes against four mobile Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles and one Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 8 March, the US conducted strikes against two Houthi truck-mounted anti-ship missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 11 March, the US conducted six strikes destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. On 13 March, the US conducted strikes against four unmanned aerial systems and one surface-to-air missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 14 March, The US conducted strikes against nine anti-ship missiles and two unmanned aerial vehicles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 16 March, the US conducted strikes against five unmanned surface vessels and one UAV in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that posed a threat to shipping in the region. On 18 March, the US conducted strikes against seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles, and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 22 March, the US conducted strikes against three Houthi underground storage facilities and four unmanned aerial vehicles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including in Sanaa. On 30 March, the US conducted a strike on one unmanned aerial systems in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

April 2024

On 4 April, the US conducted a strike on one anti-ship missile in a Houthi controlled territory of Yemen. On 6 April, the US conducted strikes on one mobile surface-to air missile system in Houthi controlled territory of Yemen. On 8 April, the US conducted strikes on an air defense system and a ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 10 April, the US conducted strikes on eight UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 14 April, the US conducted strikes on four UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 16 April, the US conducted strikes on two UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 25 April, the US conducted strikes on one unmanned surface vessel and one unmanned aerial vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 30 April, The US conducted strikes on one uncrewed surface vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

May 2024

On 2 May, the US conducted strikes on three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 13 May, the US conducted strikes on one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 15 May, the US conducted strikes on four uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 22 May, the US conducted strikes on four uncrewed aerial system in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 24 May, the US conducted strikes on one land attack cruise missile in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 29 May, the US conducted strikes on two missile launchers in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 30 May, the US and UK Armed Forces conducted strikes against 13 Houthi targets in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. US aircraft from the

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' (CVN-69) is a Nuclear marine propulsion, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of ten s currently in service, and is the firs ...

aircraft carrier and other US warships in the area carried out airstrikes against underground facilities, missile launchers, command and control sites, a Houthi ship and other sites in Yemen. Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s also carried out strikes in Hodeida and against Houthi weapons and infrastructure. In Hodeida, the Houthis said that civilian homes and the headquarters of Hodeida Radio were targeted. The Houthis acknowledged 16 deaths and 35 injuries, the highest death toll recorded throughout the US and UK campaign. Additionally, The US conducted strikes on eight uncrewed aerial vehicles in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

June 2024

On 7 June, the Houthis' official news outlet reported four joint US and UK airstrikes on

and the

Port of Salif The Port of Salif is a key Yemeni sea port. It is located in As-Salif in Hudaydah, Hudeidah Governorate on the Red Sea. The port is used to export bulk salt and import the wheat, corn and the bulk material vessels. Location The Port of Al-Sali ...

, and two additional strikes on the Al-Thawra region. Later that day, the US also conducted strikes on four Unmanned aerial vehicles and two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Separately, US forces successfully destroyed a Houthi patrol boat in the Red Sea. On 11 June, the US conducted strikes on two anti-ship cruise missile launchers in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. On 12 June, the US conducted strikes on three anti-ship cruise missile launchers in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. On 13 June, the US conducted strikes on an air defense sensor in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. On 14 June, the US conducted strikes on seven radars in the Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. The US said that the targeted radars had allowed the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping. On 15 June, the US Central Command stated that its military had destroyed seven Houthi radar systems in Yemen that enabled the group to locate and target merchant vessels. It also claimed that a Houthi UAV and two USVs in the Red Sea were destroyed simultaneously. On 17 June, the US and the UK had carried out at least six airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport and four on the island of

Kamaran Kamaran () is the largest Yemeni island in the Red Sea. The island is long and wide and is strategically located at the southern end of the Red Sea. It is a "shelf island" located in the shallow waters of the Arabian Peninsula's continental sh ...

. On 19 June, the US and the UK carried out three airstrikes on sites located in Al-Taif area of Ad Durayhimi district in Al Hudaydah Governorate, and four airstrikes on the government complex in Al Jabin district of Raymah Governorate. On 28 June, CENTCOM stated that American strikes had destroyed seven drones and a UAV ground control station in Houthi-controlled territory over the past day.

July 2024

On 11 July, U.S and the U.K launched five airstrikes, hitting targets in the Ras Issa area located to the northwest of Al Hudaydah. The U.S. Central Command meanwhile stated that it destroyed five Houthi USVs and two UAVs in the Red Sea, and another UAV in Houthi-controlled territory. On 12 July,

CENTCOM The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Ta ...

stated that it had destroyed three UAVs in Houthi-controlled territory. meanwhile Yemeni media reported that the U.S. and U.K. had carried out three airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport. On 14 July that the U.S. and U.K. carried out an airstrike in the Midi district of

Hajjah Governorate Hajjah () is a governorate of Yemen in the north-western part of the country. It borders the Red Sea to the west, and its capital is also named Hajjah. Geography Adjacent governorates * Saada Governorate (north) * 'Amran Governorate (east) * ...

, two airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, and also struck the al-Buhaisi area in Al Hudaydah Governorate. The U.S. Central Command stated that the U.S. military had destroyed two Houthi UAVs and one USV in the Red Sea, in addition to destroying another UAV in territory controlled by the group. On 26 July, the US and the UK carried out four airstrikes on Kamaran island. On 27 July, the US and the UK carried out four airstrikes on the Hodeida International Airport, which according to residents struck Houthi targets.

August 2024

On 3 August, the US Central Command announced that US forces had destroyed a Houthi missile and launcher.

October 2024

On 4 October, the US Central Command launched four airstrikes on Sanaa and seven in Hodeidah, as well as in Dhamar and

Al Bayda Governorate Al Bayda Governorate ( '), also spelt ''Al-Baidhah'' or ''Beida'', is one of the governorates ('' muhafazat'') of Yemen. It is located near the centre of the country, around the town of Al Bayda. Its population, according to the 2004 Yemeni cen ...

s. On 16 October, American

B-2 Spirit The Northrop B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American Heavy bomber, heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth aircraft, stealth technology designed to penetrator (aircraft), penetrate dense anti-aircraft war ...

bombers struck five underground weapons storage facilities in Yemen. On 23 October, the US and UK-led coalition carried out two airstrikes on

November 2024

On 9 November the Pentagon confirmed conducting multiple airstrikes targeting weapon storage areas. Houthi sources confirmed the attacks, no casualties were reported.

December 2024

On 16 December, the US carried out an airstrike on a command and control facility in Sanaa that was used in attacks against US naval vessels and merchant ships in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On 21 December, CENTCOM announced that it carried out precision strikes on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control site in Sanaa.

AlHadath Al-Hadath () is a Saudi news interactive channel focusing on political events in the Arab region. It is available on the British Freeview service via the Vision TV streaming service and from 28 March 2022, it joined Al Arabiya on Freeview chann ...

reported that fuel depots, power stations, and military targets were hit. The strikes were initially blamed on Israel. On 22 December, CENTCOM said a

F/A-18 Hornet The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, fighter and attack airc ...

that had taken off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was shot down by friendly fire coming from the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg over the Red Sea. Its two occupants were rescued. On 31 December, CENTCOM announced that US Navy warships and aircraft struck Houthi sites in Sanaa and Yemen's coastal regions over the course of two days, targeting a command and control facility and advanced

conventional weapon Conventional weapons or conventional arms are weapons whose damaging impact comes from kinetic, incendiary, or explosive energy. They stand in contrast to weapons of mass destruction (''e.g.,'' nuclear, biological, radiological, and chemical ...

storage and production sites. Several airstrikes were reported in Sanaa, and the defense ministry was also reportedly targeted.

January 2025

On 8 January, CENTCOM announced that it conducted precision strikes on two underground advanced conventional weapon storage facilities in Yemen used to attack ships in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On 10 January, the

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...

(IAF), US, and UK conducted coordinated airstrikes on a power station and two ports in Yemen. The US and UK conducted 12 strikes on underground infrastructure north of Sanaa, while the IAF hit economic infrastructure.

March 2025

On 15 March, fighter jets from , the US Air Force, as well as drones began a wave of naval and airstrikes against dozens of Houthi targets in Yemen, including radar systems, air defenses, and missiles and drones, in what was described by US officials as a start of a new offensive against the group that could last several days. The strikes were ordered by US President

, who said that they targeted militant bases, leaders, and missile defense systems, and were the most intense since he took office. Al-Masirah and other local media reported airstrikes in Sanaa at 1:30p.m. ET, which a US official told

CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS. It is headquartered in New York City. CBS News television programs include ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs ''CBS News Sunday Morn ...

was "just the start" of the campaign. A strike at a power station in Dahyan,

Saada Governorate Saada () or Sa'dah is one of the governorates of Yemen. The governorate's seat and the largest city is Saada. It is the epicentre of ZaydismTaiz Taiz () is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. As of 2023, the city has an estimated p ...

were also struck. Other strikes were reported in

Dhamar Governorate Dhamar (), also spelt ''Thamar'', is a governorate of Yemen located in the central highlands. Etymology Dhamar is named after Dhamar Ali Yahbur, who ruled the area that now comprises Dhamar Governorate as King of Saba', Dhu Raydan, Hadhramau ...

, and

April 2025

According to the Associated Press, suspected U.S. airstrikes continued overnight into Wednesday, April 2. Houthi rebels reported that one strike targeted water infrastructure in the Mansuriyah district, not far from the port city of

Hodeida Hodeidah (), also transliterated as Hodeda, Hodeida, Hudaida or al-Hudaydah, is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and its principal port on the Red Sea and it is the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate. As of 2023, it had an estimated population o ...

, killing at least four people and wounding others. On 17 April, the US military said that it struck Ras Issa fuel port in western Yemen, saying that it was a Houthi fuel source. Al-Mashirah reported that the strike killed at least 80 people and injured at least 150 others. On 20 April, airstrikes killed 12 people and injured 30 others in

. On 28 April, Al-Mashirah and human rights organization

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (commonly known as Euro-Med Monitor and sometimes as Euro-Med HRM) is an independent, nonprofit organization for the protection of human rights. Richard Falk, the former United Nations Special Rapporteu ...

reported that US strikes hit a detention centre holding African migrants in

Saada Governorate Saada () or Sa'dah is one of the governorates of Yemen. The governorate's seat and the largest city is Saada. It is the epicentre of ZaydismDonald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

declared an end to the strikes on Yemen, stating that they were over, "effective immediately," as a result of a ceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis, brokered by

. The Houthis agreed to halt attacks on vessels in the Red Sea but emphasized that the ceasefire did not in "any way, shape, or form" apply to Israel, which had just launched its own strikes on Yemen. While Trump framed the truce as the Houthis having "capitulated" and not "want ngto fight anymore," the Houthis claimed that it was in fact the U.S. that "backed down." According to reports, Iran played a role in persuading the Houthis to reach a truce with the United States to help build "momentum" for the 2025 U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations. According to Israeli officials, Israel was not given "advance notice" of the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire. Israeli media described the ceasefire as "very bad news for Israel" and "doubly surpris ng.

Assessments

According to Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of the US military's Joint Staff, the initial strikes on 12 January successfully achieved their objective of damaging the Houthis' ability to launch complex drone and missile attacks similar to the one they conducted on 10 January. Two US officials, speaking to ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', estimated that the strikes had damaged or destroyed about 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis' offensive capability. Despite damaging or destroying about 90 percent of the selected targets struck, the officials added that locating Houthi targets had proved to be more challenging than anticipated. On 18 January, Joe Biden acknowledged that the strikes had not stopped the Houthis from continuing to attack shipping, but said that efforts to stop them would continue. According to Yemeni sources who spoke to ''

Sky News Arabia Sky News Arabia (stylized as Sky News ; ) is an Arabic 24-hour rolling news channel broadcast mainly operated in the Middle East and North Africa. It is a joint venture between UK-based Sky Group and the UAE-based International Media Investment ...

'', as of 21 January, at least 75 Houthi fighters, including six members of the Lebanese

Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...

, three Iranian

Revolutionary Guards The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khomeini as a military branch in May 1979 i ...

, and two Iranian-backed Iraqi militants, have been killed in the ongoing bombing campaign.

Reactions

Domestic

Yemeni government

The internationally recognized

Government of Yemen The politics of Yemen are in an uncertain state due to the Houthi takeover in Yemen, Houthi takeover. An armed group known as the Houthi movement, Houthis or Ansar Allah seized control of the Northern Yemeni government and announced it would di ...

issued a statement to

Saba News Agency The Saba News Agency (), also known as the Yemen News Agency (), is the official state news agency of Yemen. History and profile SABA was founded on 16 November 1970 as the official news agency of North Yemen, and is headquartered in the capit ...

strongly condemning military actions by the Houthis blaming them for "dragging the country into a military confrontation arena for propaganda purposes" and "misleadingly linking it to support for Palestinians". The government reaffirmed its right to enhance security in the Red Sea region, saying stability there and globally "cannot be achieved except by restoring the legitimate state institutions in Yemen." Reaffirming its support for the Palestinian cause, the Yemeni government warned that "the Israeli aggression in occupied territories risks further destabilizing the region and threatening international peace and security". In an interview with

Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (; AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. With 2,400 employees of 100 nationalities, AFP has an editorial presence in 260 c ...

, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, vice president of the

and president of the

Southern Transitional Council The Southern Transitional Council (STC; ) is a secessionist organization in southern Yemen. The 26 members of the STC include the governors of five southern governorates and two government ministers. It was formed by a faction of the Southern ...

, said that the missile strikes were not enough to deter the Houthi attacks and said that "an international and regional alliance is necessary to secure international navigation in the Red Sea." He also urged foreign forces to support government forces in launching a ground operation against the Houthis in conjunction with the strikes.

Houthi movement

Houthi deputy foreign minister Hussein al-Izzi called the attacks "blatant aggression" and said the US and UK would "pay a heavy price" in an interview with

. Similarly, high-ranking Houthi official Ali al-Qahoum vowed there would be retaliation. Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the group, announced that the Houthis would continue to target Israeli ships or any ships heading to "the ports of occupied Palestine," saying that the US and UK were wrong to think that the strikes "would deter Yemen from supporting Palestine and Gaza". Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, stated, "Every individual in this world is faced with two choices that have no third: Either to stand with the victims of genocide or to stand with its perpetrators." Following the initial strikes on 12 January, protests attended by hundreds of thousands of people were held in Sanaa and in other Houthi-controlled cities such as

and

Ibb Ibb () is a city in Yemen, the capital of Ibb Governorate, located about northeast of Mocha and south of Sana'a. A market town and administrative centre developed during the Ottoman Empire, it is one of the most important medium-sized cities i ...

, to denounce the US and British military actions, with demonstrators chanting "

Death to America "Death to America" is an anti-American political slogan widely used in Iran,Arash KaramiKhomeini Orders Media to End 'Death to America' Chant, Iran Pulse, October 13, 2013 Afghanistan, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Pakistan. Ruhollah Khomeini, the f ...

" and "

Death to Israel "Death to Israel" (also "Down with Israel") is a political slogan against Israel, which is most often used in Iran. Every year, Iranian pilgrims sing the slogan of "death to Israel" during the Hajj rituals and the ceremony of disavowal ...

". Following

China Ocean Shipping Company China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) was a former shipping corporation from 1961 to 2016, owned by the State Council of China. The company merged with China Shipping Group Company to form China COSCO Shipping Corporation in January 2016. ...

, the fourth largest shipping company, and its container shipping subsidiary

OOCL Orient Overseas Container Line, commonly known as OOCL, is a container shipping and logistics service company with headquarters in Hong Kong. The company is incorporated in Hong Kong as Orient Overseas Container Line Limited and separately inc ...

stopping all services to Israel, a senior Houthi official said Chinese and Russian vessels not connected with Israel will have safe passage.

Participants

United States

Reactions from the US Congress were mixed, with some supporting the strikes and others condemning Biden for using military force without congressional approval. Some critics said that in accordance with Article 1 of the Constitution, Biden needed to seek authorization from Congress before initiating military action. Under

Article Two of the United States Constitution Article Two of the United States Constitution establishes the executive branch of the federal government, which carries out and enforces federal laws. Article Two vests the power of the executive branch in the office of the President of the Un ...

, the president has the limited authority to take defensive military action without Congressional approval, though supporters and opponents of the strikes disagree that the strikes can be considered defensive. Legal experts have argued that ambiguity in existing law allows for Congress to place limits on the president's authority to take military action without its approval. Senate Minority Leader

Mitch McConnell Addison Mitchell McConnell III (; born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held since 1985. McConnell is in his seventh Senate term and is the long ...

welcomed the action but said the president's decision was overdue. Biden said that he has sent a message to Iran with the Yemen strikes.

stated that the "defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels' escalating attacks against commercial vessels" and added that he would "not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary". Following the airstrike on 13 January, Biden said that the US had sent a "private message" to Iran regarding the Houthis. Protesters from

Code Pink Code Pink: Women for Peace (often stylized as CODEPINK) is a left-wing, anti-war organization registered in the United States as a 501(c)(3) organization. It focuses on issues such as drone strikes, the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Palestini ...

and the

ANSWER Coalition Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER), also known as International A.N.S.W.E.R. and the ANSWER Coalition, is a United States–based protest umbrella group consisting of many antiwar and civil rights organizations. Formed in the wake of ...

gathered outside the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

several hours after the strikes. In New York City, pro-Palestinian protestors gathered at

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...

. On 17 January, the Biden administration restored the Houthi movement to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist entities, but did not redesignate it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. According to a survey conducted by the Harvard CAPS–

Harris Poll The Harris Poll is an American market research and analytics company that has been tracking the sentiment, behaviors and motivations of American adults since 1963. In addition to the traditional consulting offered, Harris has developed software ...

on 17–18 January 2024, 74% of American respondents supported strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

United Kingdom

said that the strikes stemmed from the principle of

self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of Force (law), ...

. He also confirmed that the UK received non-operational assistance and support from the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain. The UK noted that initial indications suggest the Houthis' ability to threaten commercial shipping has "taken a blow". The Liberal Democrats and the

Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW; ), often known simply as the Green Party or the Greens, is a Green politics, green, Left-wing politics, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Since October 2021, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ram ...

criticized the Sunak government for bypassing parliament, while the leader of the

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

Stephen Flynn Stephen Mark Flynn (born 13 October 1988) is a Scottish politician who has served as the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons since December 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aberdeen South si ...

, said that it was "incumbent upon the

UK Government His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

to appraise

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

as soon as possible and MPs must therefore be recalled to

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

". According to a

YouGov YouGov plc is a international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm headquartered in the UK with operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. History 2000–2010 Stephan Shakespeare and Nadhim ...

poll conducted on 15–16 January 2024, 53% of British respondents supported the government's decision to launch strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, while 22% opposed.

Other countries

* : Defense Minister

Niko Peleshi Niko Aleks Peleshi (born 11 November 1970) is an Albanian politician who is serving as the Minister of Defence since 31 December 2020. He previously has served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Albania in September 2013. He was Prefect of Korçë ...

said that Albania supported the reaction of its the US and UK against the Houthis, calling the latter's attacks in the Red Sea "destabilizing, illegal and unjustified". * : Defence Minister

Richard Marles Richard Donald Marles (born 13 July 1967) is an Australian politician and lawyer serving as the 19th and current deputy prime minister of Australia and the Minister for Defence (Australia), minister for Defence since May 2022. He has been the ...

said to reporters the decision to launch the strikes "was not taken lightly", saying that the action taken was about "maintaining freedom of navigation on the high seas". The

Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly referred to simply as the Greens, are a Left-wing politics, left-wing green party, green Australian List of political parties in Australia, political party. As of 2025, the Greens are the third largest politica ...

party condemned the ruling government, stating that support for US and British strikes amounted to "a dangerous escalation at a time for peace". * : Foreign Minister

Hadja Lahbib Hadja Lahbib (; born 21 June 1970) is a Belgian journalist of Algerian origins, television presenter, director and politician, who has been serving as the European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management and European Commissioner for ...

expressed support for the strikes, saying that Belgium was "working with its EU partners and US ally to restore maritime security in the region and avoid any spillover." * : Foreign Minister

Mélanie Joly Mélanie Joly (; born January 16, 1979) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has been serving as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Minister of Industry, Registrar General of Canada, and Minister responsible for the Economic D ...

and Defence Minister

Bill Blair William "Bill" Sterling Blair (born April 9, 1954) is a Canadian politician and former police officer who served as the Minister of National Defence (Canada), Minister of National Defence from 2023 to 2025. A member of the Liberal Party of Can ...

endorsed the attacks, with both of them stating the strikes were "consistent with the

UN Charter The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the United Nations (UN). It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the United Nations System, UN system, including its United Nations System#Six ...

". * : Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urged restraint. UN ambassador

Zhang Jun Zhang may refer to: Chinese culture, etc. * Zhang (surname) (張/张), common Chinese surname ** Zhang (surname 章), a rarer Chinese surname * Zhang County (漳县), of Dingxi, Gansu * Zhang River (漳河), a river flowing mainly in Henan * ''Zha ...

said the Security Council had not authorised the use of force in Yemen, adding that the strikes "not only caused infrastructure destruction and civilian casualties, but have also resulted in heightened security risks in the Red Sea." * :

Foreign Ministry In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...

spokesman Theodoros Gotsis said that the Cypriot government was in "constant communication with the UK" within the framework set by the Treaty of Establishment regarding the use of British military bases in the country. He also called for an "immediate end to all actions that threaten free and safe navigation", given the country's " significant maritime footprint" in the region. The Cyprus Peace Council said British participation in the airstrikes in Yemen was turning Cyprus into a "war base" and announced plans to hold a demonstration outside the

base on 14 January. * : Foreign Minister

Lars Løkke Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen (; born 15 May 1964) is a Danish politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2019. He was Leader of the Ve ...

stated Denmark's full support for the strikes. * : The

expressed "deep concern" over the escalation of military operations in the Red Sea and air strikes in Yemen, and has also called for "uniting" international and regional efforts to reduce instability in the region. * : Foreign Minister

Stéphane Séjourné Stéphane Séjourné (; born 26 March 1985) is a French politician of Renaissance who currently serves as Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. He served as Minister for Europe and Foreign ...

reaffirmed France's condemnation of Houthi strikes on commercial vessels, stating that "with those armed actions, the Houthis bear the extremely serious responsibility of the escalation in the region". However, the French government did not express support for the US and UK air strikes. * : Foreign Minister

Annalena Baerbock Annalena Charlotte Alma Baerbock (; born 15 December 1980) is a German politician and diplomat of the Alliance 90/The Greens party. She served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), Germany's minister for foreign affairs from 2021 to 2025. I ...

expressed the German government's political support for the military strike, and said it was carried out "in accordance with the individual and collective right to self-defense of the United Nations Charter". * :

spokesperson Kobayashi Maki stated that Japan supported "the determination of the United States and relevant countries to fulfill its responsibility in ensuring the free and safe navigation of vessels". * : The Presidency of the Council of Ministers confirmed it "supports the operations of allied nations, which have the right to defend their vessels, in the interest of global trade flows and humanitarian assistance." * : The

condemned the strikes as a "clear violation of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and a violation of international laws. * : Foreign Affairs Minister Donika Gërvalla stated "the Republic of Kosovo fully supports the proportional military actions of our international partners" against the Houthis, adding that Kosovo "as a deeply democratic country, clearly aligns itself with its strategic partners in joint efforts to maintain peace and security in the world." * : Prime Minister

Mark Rutte Mark Rutte (; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th Secretary General of NATO, secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, prime minister of the Neth ...

expressed support for the attacks, stating "the US-British action is based on the right of self-defence, aims to protect free passage and is focused on de-escalation." * : Foreign Minister

Winston Peters Winston Raymond Peters (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He has led the political party New Zealand First since he founded it in 1993, and since November 2023 has served as the 25th Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), ...

and Defence Minister

Judith Collins Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who has served as the attorney-general and minister of defence since 27 November 2023. She served as the leader of the Opposition and leader of the New Zealand National P ...

expressed support for the strikes, with Peters stating that the "strikes support international security and trade, on which New Zealanders rely". Collins remarked that the strikes were "a good example of the international community uniting to address a serious threat to international security". On 23 January 2024, six

New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; , "Line of Defence of New Zealand") is the three-branched military of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and its realm, promoting its interests, ...

personnel were deployed to the Middle East to help provide maritime security in the Red Sea including "precision targeting." The opposition Labour and

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...

parties criticised the deployment, citing the lack of a United Nations mandate and claiming it would inflame tensions. In mid-July 2024, the New Zealand deployment was extended until 31 January 2025. * : Foreign Minister

Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (Arabic: بدر البوسعيدي; born 30 May 1960) is the Foreign Minister of Oman. He has represented Oman in regional and international meetings, which include the United Nations. Personal life Early life Badr ...

said the attack went against his country's advice and that it would only add fuel to an extremely dangerous situation. State media reported that the Omani government denounced the military action from "friendly countries". * : Presidential spokesperson

Dmitry Peskov Dmitry Sergeyevich Peskov (, ; born 17 October 1967) is a Russian diplomat serving as the Kremlin Press Secretary, spokesman for President of Russia, Russian president Vladimir Putin since 2012.Foreign Ministry In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...

called for restraint and "avoiding escalation." * : The

condemned the air strikes, stating that it was a "desperate attempt to divert the attention of world public opinion from the war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people". * : President

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...

accused the United Kingdom of attempting to make the region surrounding the Red Sea "a sea of blood".

Militant groups

* : Senior official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a press statement that "the US-UK aggression against the Yemeni forces' sites provokes the entire nation and indicates the intention to expand the conflict zone beyond

Gaza Gaza may refer to: Places Palestine * Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea ** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip ** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Mandatory Palestine * Gaza Sub ...

's boundaries, which has repercussions". * : The Media Relation Office condemned "the blatant US-UK aggression against brotherly Yemen, its security and sovereignty". * : In a press statement, the group expressed support for the Houthis and argued that "this aggression comes as part of the US and UK military aid to Israel and proves that the US administration is the one responsible for the Israeli genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza". *

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP; ) is a secular Palestinian Marxist–Leninist organization founded in 1967 by George Habash. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation ...

: In a statement the group condemned the strikes against Yemen and stated that the "Evil coalition's malicious goals are not to protect maritime navigation in the Red Sea, but rather to protect the security of the Zionist entity." *

Islamic Resistance in Iraq The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI; ) refers to an informal network of Iranian-backed Shia Islamist armed groups in Iraq. The name is used by members of the network when carrying out attacks against American forces or its allies in the region ...

: Prior to the strikes, the IRI said that if Yemen is attacked by the US and UK, "we will attack the Americans' base with everything in our power". After the initial airstrikes, there were reports of a bomb and sirens being heard at the US Embassy in Iraq.

Shipping organizations

The

Baltic and International Maritime Council Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...

(BIMCO), which covers 62% of world shipping tonnage, recommended that its members halt Red Sea transit for up to 72 hours as a result of the strikes. The

International Association of Independent Tanker Owners The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) is a membership association for owners of independent tankers throughout the world. The Association was formed in its present guise in Oslo in 1970 to speak out for those indep ...

(Intertanko) recommended that its members halt Red Sea transit for up to 24 hours.

Energy companies

QatarEnergy QatarEnergy (), formerly Qatar Petroleum (QP), is a state-owned petroleum company of Qatar. The company operates all oil and gas activities in Qatar, including exploration, production, refining, transport, and storage. The President and CEO is S ...

, the world's second largest exporter of

liquefied natural gas Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volume o ...

, suspended sending tankers through the Red Sea. The LNG tankers were forced to sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the war zone.

Relief organizations

A joint statement by 26 humanitarian organizations operating in Yemen raised concerns that the military escalation "will only worsen the situation for vulnerable civilians and hinder the ability of aid organisations to deliver critical services." It also urged all parties "to prioritise diplomatic channels over military options to de-escalate the crisis and safeguard the progress of peace efforts in Yemen."

Intergovernmental organizations

* : A spokesperson said "these strikes were defensive and designed to preserve freedom of navigation in one of the world's most vital waterways." * : A spokesperson for Secretary-General

António Guterres António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. A member of the Socialist Party (Portugal), ...

said that he called for all sides "not to escalate the situation in the interest of peace and stability in the Red Sea and the wider region."

Notes

References

{{United Kingdom–United States relations

2024 in international relations 2025 in international relations 2024 military operations 2025 military operations 21st-century history of the United States Air Force 21st-century history of the Royal Air Force January 2024 in Yemen February 2024 in Yemen March 2024 in Yemen April 2024 in Yemen May 2024 in Yemen June 2024 in Yemen July 2024 in Yemen August 2024 in Yemen September 2024 in Yemen October 2024 in Yemen November 2024 in Yemen December 2024 in Yemen January 2025 in Yemen February 2025 in Yemen March 2025 in Yemen April 2025 in Yemen May 2025 in Yemen Conflicts in 2024 Conflicts in 2025

Airstrikes in Yemen Airstrikes conducted by the United Kingdom Airstrikes conducted by the United States Airstrikes during the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Military campaigns involving the United States Military campaigns involving the United Kingdom Naval bombing operations and battles Red Sea crisis Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present) History of the Houthis Presidency of Joe Biden Second presidency of Donald Trump Premiership of Rishi Sunak Premiership of Keir Starmer United Kingdom–United States military relations United Kingdom–Yemen relations United States–Yemen relations

Background

Timeline

January 2024

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

July 2024

August 2024

October 2024

November 2024

December 2024

January 2025

March 2025

April 2025

Assessments

Reactions

Domestic

Yemeni government

Houthi movement

Participants

United States

United Kingdom

Other countries

Militant groups

Shipping organizations

Energy companies

Relief organizations

Intergovernmental organizations

See also

Notes

References