In a coordinated effort, U.S. and British military forces conducted a series of air strikes on targets within rebel-held areas of Yemen early on Friday. This action, described by U.S. President Joe Biden as a “defensive action,” was a response to weeks of disruptive attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Houthi forces.

The strikes specifically targeted an airbase, several airports, and a military camp, according to reports from the Houthi rebels’ Al-Masirah TV station and corroborated by AFP correspondents and witnesses. These bombardments were part of a larger operation involving American and British ships, submarines, and warplanes.

Social media images, although unverified, depicted the scene at Al-Dailami airbase north of Sanaa with visible explosions and sounds of bombardments, capturing the intensity of the strikes.

President Biden, in his statement, emphasized the joint nature of the operation, noting the involvement of not only the U.S. and the UK but also the support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands. The strikes, which reportedly included the use of fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles, were aimed at Houthi rebel targets identified as threats to the freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most crucial waterways.

These strikes represent a significant escalation in the military response to the Houthi rebels’ ongoing campaign in the region, signaling the readiness of the U.S. and its allies to take further military action if necessary to protect international shipping routes and maintain regional stability