Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have been getting headlines by attacking oil tankers and other ships in the Red Sea, becoming a major impediment to trade in the region. The Houthis have used drones and other projectiles to harass vessels carrying important cargo through the sea.

See: US Navy Ship Has Close Call With Houthi Missile; How Much Longer Until the Luck Runs Out?

The situation, which began shortly after the war in Gaza started in October, has grown increasingly problematic. Now, the United States and the United Kingdom have reportedly struck back against the rebels once again.

The United States and Britain carried out large-scale military strikes on Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, according to a statement from the two countries and six supporting allies, as the Biden administration continued its reprisal campaign in the Middle East targeting Iran-backed militias.

The attacks against 36 Houthi targets at 13 sites in northern Yemen came barely 24 hours after the United States carried out a series of military strikes against Iranian forces and the militias they support at seven sites in Syria and Iraq. American and British warplanes hit deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems and radars, the statement said. Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand provided support, which officials said included intelligence and logistics assistance.

“These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners, and are in response to a series of illegal, dangerous and destabilizing Houthi actions since previous coalition strikes,” the statement said, referring to major attacks by the United States and Britain last month.

The Houthis have been focusing much of their attacks on vessels owned by Israelis and Western nations. In some cases, they even hijacked some of the ships. The U.S. and other nations began launching counterattacks earlier this month, but it is still too soon to see if these strikes will have a deterrent effect on the Houthis, who have expressed solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

On January 22, 2024, American and British military forces also launched air and missile strikes against Houthi facilities in Yemen.

On Monday, American and British forces carried out air and missile strikes against facilities in Yemen belonging to the Houthi rebels. The attacks are in response to attacks the Houthis have launched against international shipping in the Red Sea.

The U.S. and U.K. militaries, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, hit eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks, according to a joint statement from the countries involved. The precision strikes were “intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners,” the statement said.

The joint strikes on Monday targeted a Houthi underground storage site and targets connected to the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities, according to the statement.

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea,” the statement said, “but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

The airstrikes come not only as hostilities with the Houthis intensify but also just after Iran-backed militants launched an attack in Jordan that killed three American service members. The United States finally launched counterattacks on Friday against Iranian interests in Iraq and Syria.

RedState will keep you updated as this situation develops.