US, UK strikes on Houthis in Yemen: As it happened

Washington and London said they ordered the attacks in response to Houthi fighters targeting Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea Read Full Article at RT.com

US, UK strikes on Houthis in Yemen: As it happened

Blasts have occurred in Sanaa, Hodeidah and other cities, the Iran-backed Shia group said

The US and UK began carrying out airstrikes on Houthi militias in Yemen in the early hours of Friday in response to the group targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Washington and London launched their attacks without authorization from the UN Security Council. US President Joe Biden is also facing accusations from American lawmakers that he violated the Constitution as he didn’t ask for permission from Congress for the military operation.

The Houthis, who have pledged to support Gaza amid fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, have launched multiple drones and missiles targeting merchant vessels, as well as warships patrolling the vital waterway since mid-October.

The Houthis are a Shia Islamist militia that rose to power following a wave of protests known as the Arab Spring, which swept the Middle East in the early 2010s.

One of the poorest countries in the region, Yemen has been plagued by an intermittent civil war for nearly a decade. It was further devastated by a Saudi-led intervention, which began in 2015 with the aim of expelling the Houthis.