Yemen hit by US-British bombardment over preventing Israeli ships from sailing in Red Sea (Reuters)

Yemen's Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said there was no justification for the US-British attack on Yemen, while Britain stressed that the strikes against Houthi targets were in self-defense.

The Houthi spokesman stressed that there was no justification whatsoever for this aggression on Yemen, "as there was no danger to international navigation".

Abdel Salam stressed that "the targeting was and will continue to affect Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine," and said that we did not target any country in the world except Israel.

He said in remarks to Al Jazeera that "there is no maritime alliance in the Red Sea," but "only American and British aggression."

Abdul Salam stressed that the Yemeni position was effective, which prompted America to announce an alliance against the Houthis.

Express in peace

Information Minister and Houthi government spokesman Dhaifallah al-Shami sent a message via platform X to all "ships passing through al-Ahmar and Bab al-Mandab, we say cross safely and safely".

In the same context, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis' Supreme Political Council, said that the US-British strikes on Yemen are "terrorist barbarism".

He described the attacks as "deliberate and unjustified aggression, reflecting a savage psyche," adding that "the response will be through the statement that will be published later." In a related context, a US military official denied that the Houthi group carried out any retaliatory attacks against US and British ships in the Red Sea, in response to the bombing of several Yemeni cities.

The British newspaper The Guardian quoted the unnamed official as saying that "there is no Houthi response until this moment," and explained that the official indicated that his country would not be surprised by "any Houthi response."

Ali al-Qahoum, a member of the Houthi group's political bureau, announced the targeting of US-British warships in the Red Sea, in response to the raids carried out by Washington and London on the capital Sanaa and other Yemeni provinces.

Except for Israeli ships and ships dealing with the Zionist entity of any nationality.
To all ships passing through Al-Ahmar and Bab al-Mandeb, we say: -(Cross safely and safely).#Israeli_Ship_Protection_Coalition#Yemen_Word_and_Deed#لستم_وحدكم

— Dhaifallah Shami (@DhaifAlShami650) January 12, 2024

The United States and Britain launched strikes at dawn on Friday on targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthis preventing any Israeli or Israeli-bound ship from sailing in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli aggression for more than 3 months.

U.S. Middle East Air Force commander Lexus Greenkewich said the strikes against the Houthis were aimed at undermining their ability to continue their attacks in the Red Sea.

The US official blamed the Houthis and their Iranian sponsors for the attacks on international shipping, noting that the raids targeted command centers, ammunition depots and delivery systems.

British Armed Forces Secretary James Heaby told Radio Times on Friday that overnight strikes by Britain and the United States on Houthi military targets in Yemen were in self-defence.

The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported that the shelling targeted Al-Dailami air base, located in the vicinity of the airport of the capital Sanaa, the vicinity of Hodeidah airport, areas in Zabid district, Kahlan camp east of Saada city, Taiz airport, the 22nd Brigade camp in the Taiz district, and the airport in Abs district.

The United States and Britain launched strikes at dawn on Friday on targets in Yemen (Reuters)

A high price tag

Following the strikes, Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Ezzi vowed to respond, saying, "Our country was subjected to a large-scale aggressive attack from American and British ships, submarines and warplanes (...) America and Britain must be willing to pay a heavy price."

In recent weeks, the Houthis have launched more than 25 operations targeting commercial ships linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports, near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Most recently, the Houthis targeted "an American ship that was providing support to Israel," using more than 20 drones and missiles over the Red Sea, allegedly shot down by US and British forces.

Source: Agencies