U.S. and UK Strike Houthis for a Third Time

American and British forces struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. It was their third major attempt to deter the Iran-backed terrorist militia from attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

The Pentagon said it struck buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems, launchers, air defense systems and radars in 13 locations throughout Houthi-controlled Yemen.

This collective action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels.
—Lloyd Austin, United States Defense Secretary

Escalation for escalation: According to UK Defense Minister Grant Shapps, “This is not an escalation.”

We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities.
—Grant Shapps

Members of the militia see it differently, however. Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on X that the strikes were an escalation, but the group is undeterred and will continue to attack.

Houthi spokesman Ameen Hayyan also wrote on X that any strikes against them “will not pass without response and punishment.”

Iran’s weapon: The Houthis—and their sponsors in Iran—have continued their aggression despite America’s and Britain’s efforts so far to neutralize it. It is one of the most brazen examples of Iranian pushiness the world has witnessed in recent years.

Iran sponsors many terror groups around the world. Helping the Houthis gain such a strong foothold overlooking this strategic area gives Iran a weapon it can use against the world!
—Gerald Flurry, Trumpet editor in chief, “The Battle for the Red Sea”

Iran’s intractability could continue to a degree that truly tests and exposes the weakness of American will. This situation has truly explosive potential and bears close watching.