Ten countries involved in air strikes on Yemen’s Houthis – as it happened | Middle East and north Africa

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A few dozen anti-war activists gathered at Times Square in New York City and outside the White House late on Thursday to protest against the US and British strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen, Reuters has reported, saying the step threatened to widen the war in Gaza.

Protesters at Times Square chanted slogans such as “hands off the Middle East,” “hands off Yemen,” and “hands off Gaza”.

The demonstrators near the White House waved Palestinian flags and carried banners that read “Free Palestine” and “stop bombing Yemen.”

It’s currently 6:28am in Sana’a and 5:28am in Gaza and Tel Aviv. Here is a summary of the latest so far:

• The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen. It’s the first time strikes have been launched against the Iran-backed group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last year.

• An official from Yemen’s Houthis has reacted to the bombings on X. Abdul Qader al-Mortada said: American-Zionist-British aggression against Yemen launches several raids on the capital, Sanaa, Hodeidah governorate, Saada, and Dhamar

• The US and British militaries have used warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets in the strikes, several US officials told the Associated Press. The military targets include logistical hubs, air defence systems and weapons storage locations.

• US president Joe Biden has released a statement on the strikes – where he highlights the countries involved in the military action – including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands. Biden said: 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. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.

• Britian’s prime minister Rishi Sunak has also released a statement on the military action, describing it as “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence” and saying that the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain offered “non-operational support”.

• The UK’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that “particular care was taken to minimise any risks to civilians” and that “early indications are that the Houthis’ ability to threaten merchant shipping has taken a blow”

• Ten countries were involved in the strikes, according to a joint statement released by the White House from the government’s of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States saying they will “not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways”.

• Saudi Arabia says it is monitoring situation with “great concern”. The kingdom’s foreign ministry has told Reuters news agency it is calling for restraint and “avoiding escalation” in light of the airstrikes launched by the United States and Britain.

• US defence secretary Lloyd Austin says the US is prepared to take “follow-on” action to protect US forces, Reuters reports. Austin is in hospital due to surgery complications.

• Some Democrats have reacted to the military strikes saying that the president should be coming to Congress first before taking action , US representative Ro Khanna from California says “The President needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another Middle East conflict.

• But US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnel was in support of the action, although he said it was “overdue”

• Australia has commented on its part on the strikes in Yemen. Defence minister Richard Marles says that Australia provided personnel support to the US and UK in their strikes.

Australia has commented on its part on the strikes in Yemen. Defence minister Richard Marles says that Australia provided personnel support to the US and UK in their strikes.

Australia’s support of these actions came in the form of personnel in the operational headquarters …

Australia will continue to support any actions which assert the global rules-based order.

The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, in what Reuters has described as a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

There’s been some reaction from lawmakers in the US to president Joe Biden’s decision to go ahead with the strikes.

A Democrat, US representative Ro Khanna from California is saying that the president should be coming to Congress first before taking action:

The President needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another Middle East conflict. That is Article I of the Constitution. I will stand up for that regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in the White House.

But US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnel was in support of the action, although he said it was “overdue”:

I welcome the U.S. and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels. President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue. I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies.

Some other Republicans echoed the comments that the action was overdue, including Senator Susan Collins and Roger Wicker.

Other Democrats have expressed concern about the consequences and some disquiet about the action. US representative Jason Crow from Colorado said “I would not support us being pulled into a broader war.” Mark Pocan from Wisconsin said “The United States cannot risk getting entangled into another decades-long conflict without Congressional authorization.”

Here’s some more detail on the reaction from Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has called for restraint and “avoiding escalation” in light of the airstrikes launched by the United States and Britain against sites linked to the Houthis in Yemen.

Reuters is reporting the kingdom’s foreign ministry has said:

The kingdom emphasizes the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea region, as the freedom of navigation in it is an international demand

Saudi Arabia has in recent months engaged in peace talks with Yemen’s Houthis, who are an Iran-aligned group that control much of Yemen after nearly a decade of war against a western-backed and Saudi-led coalition, says Reuters.

The Houthis have also emerged as a strong supporter of Hamas in its war against Israel. The group has been attacking commercial ships it says are linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports.

The chief negotiator for the Houthis, Mohammed Abdulsalam, said on Thursday the group’s attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea do not threaten its peace talks with Saudi Arabia.

For background on how the strikes have hit international shipping, read our piece by Jack Simpson and Sarah Butler

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has released a statement about the strikes – saying the US is prepared to take “follow-on” action to protect US forces, Reuters reports.

Today’s strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ unmanned aerial vehicle, ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities …

The United States maintains its right to self-defence and, if necessary, we will take follow-on actions to protect US forces.

Austin is in hospital due to surgery complications.

Here’s the front page of the Guardian newspaper in the UK with the strikes against Yemen’s Houthis as the top headline:

US officials have been briefing reporters and say that no retaliatory action by the Houthis has occurred yet, Reuters reports.

But one official told reporters on a conference call they would not be surprised if there were a response:

While we fully expect this action to diminish the Houthis’ capability and degrade it, and certainly over time to reduce their capacity and propensity to conduct these attacks, we would not be surprised to see some sort of response

Saudi Arabia has reacted to the airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthis.

The kingdom’s foreign ministry has told Reuters news agency it is calling for restraint and “avoiding escalation” in light of the airstrikes launched by the United States and Britain.

The statement also says Saudi Arabia is closely monitoring the situation with “great concern”.

The White House has also issued a joint statement from the government’s of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States saying they will “not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways”.

Here’s some of that statement:

In response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea, the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia, conducted joint strikes in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense, consistent with the UN Charter, against a number of targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

It goes on to say:

Today’s action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.

The statement ends on saying that the goal remains to “de-escalate’” tensions, but that the joint countries will also protect “lives” and the “free flow of commerce”:

Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: we will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.