Biden affirms ongoing US strikes against Houthi rebels

President Joe BidenPhoto byYuri Gripas

On Thursday, U.S. forces launched their fifth strike against Houthi rebel military sites in Yemen, which are backed by Iran. President Joe Biden acknowledged that the rebels' attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, which have affected global shipping, had persisted despite the bombardment by the United States and Britain.

According to a statement issued to X (previously known as Twitter) by U.S. Central Command, two Houthi anti-ship missiles that "were aimed into the southern Red Sea and prepared to launch" were neutralized in the most recent attacks. According to the Pentagon, the missions were flown by F/A-18 fighter aircraft from the Navy.

Although the Houthis have persisted in their harassment of commercial and military vessels despite the U.S. commitment to maintain the strikes, Biden stated that this would not change.

"Are they stopping the Houthis when you claim they're working? No. "Yes, I think they will continue," Biden told reporters as he left the White House for a North Carolina speech on domestic issues.

Houthi Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced in a prepared message that its forces had launched another missile attack on the Chem Ranger, a U.S. cargo ship flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, only hours after Biden spoke. Attack occurred in the Gulf of Aden, according to Saree, which is located in the southern part of Yemen.

In the Gulf of Aden, around 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the coast of Yemen, the British military issued a fresh warning of an attack on shipping earlier on Thursday evening. Although the Pentagon could not confirm the strikes right away, it has warned that the Houthis are likely to keep attacking.

In response to the persistent threats, the United States and its international allies have launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a joint mission in which the consortium aims to create a shield around the ships by intercepting missiles and drones. The United States and British forces have responded by attempting to disrupt Houthi missile sites, radars, and air defense systems in an effort to limit the Houthis' attacking capabilities.

The United States military launched a new round of missile strikes against 14 locations controlled by the Houthi rebels on Wednesday. On the same day, the Houthis were once again added to the list of globally declared terrorists by the administration. In addition to ensuring that much-needed humanitarian help can continue to reach the poor people of Yemen, the sanctions accompanying the official designation aim to cut off funding for violent extremist groups.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated Thursday, "These strikes will continue for as long as they need to continue," and went on to say, "I'm not going to telegraph punches one way or another."

The Houthis continue to target commercial and military ships for harassment, even after sanctions and military strikes—including a large-scale operation by U.S. and British warships and warplanes—that attacked over 60 sites across Yemen. Iran has been issued a stern warning by the United States to end its arms supply to the Houthis.

During a briefing, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh stated, "We never said the Houthis would immediately stop" in response to a question about why the strikes have not been successful in stopping the Houthis. The Houthis' strikes after last Friday's combined U.S. and British operation began have been "lower scale," according to Singh. The action hit 28 locations and more than 60 targets in the initial wave.

Ships in the Red Sea that the Houthis allege are either connected to Israel or en route to Israeli ports have been the target of their attacks for months. According to them, the Israeli air and ground incursion in the Gaza Strip began on October 7 in response to an attack in southern Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Their attacks aim to put an end to this onslaught. But as the rebel strikes have persisted, the connections to the ships they have targeted have become fainter.

The assaults have also made some wonder if the battle between Israel and Hamas has escalated into something bigger in the region.

Even if we were at war, we wouldn't want to be. "We would prefer to avoid a regional war," Singh stated.

Edited by Newsbreak Contributor Denys Shybinskiy