A US official stated on Friday that the US military has launched strikes against multiple targets in Yemen, adding that “the strikes were from fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles.” An air force commander claimed that over 100 missiles were fired throughout the aggression.
The Yemeni SABA news agency in Sanaa also reported that the American-Zionist-British aggression launched multiple airstrikes on the capital Sanaa and the provinces of Hodeidah, Saada, and Dhamar.
Al Mayadeen reported that the US-British aggression targeted the vicinity of Al-Hudaydah Airport and areas in Zabid District in the same coastal governorate on the Red Sea in Western Yemen. Further reports claimed that the raids targeted Kahlan camp, east of the city of Saada, in northern Yemen.
The Pentagon has announced that the US aggression has targeted 12 sites in Yemen and was conducted by warplanes, cruise missiles, and submarines.
Politico cited an official from the US Department of Defense as saying that the US and the UK, with support from Australia, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Canada, carried out strikes against targets in Yemen.
The New York Times on the other hand reported that the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, and Bahrain provided logistical, intelligence, and other forms of support to the aggression.
Earlier reports regarding imminent strikes
Earlier, Deputy Head of the Moral Guidance Department in the Yemeni Ministry of Defense in the Sanaa government, Brigadier Abdullah ben Amer, affirmed that there are significant preparations to confront the anticipated US-British aggression on Yemen.
This comes amid media reports that the US and the UK were mulling possible strikes against the Yemeni forces in an attempt to curb their operations in the Red and the Arabian seas against “Israeli”-bound ships.
The report mentioned that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was expected to authorize strikes on Thursday as part of a US-led coalition and even convened an urgent call of his cabinet at 7:45 p.m. GMT following a meeting of the National Security Council.
On X, Ben Amer stressed that “readiness has been underway for several days” in Sanaa, pointing out that opening the airspace to US and British warplanes for attacking Yemen is “clear participation in the assault and direct involvement in the aggression.”
He also urged Yemenis to take part in protests on Friday and pay no attention to what some hostile sides have started to spread, such as talk of collapses, confusion, and “other foolish and naive lies.”
On his part, Fadel Abu Taleb, a member of the Political Bureau of the Yemeni Ansarallah movement, underlined that the Yemeni people are fully prepared and completely ready to engage in any battle or confrontation with the enemies, no matter its intensity, until achieving victory for both the Palestinian and Yemeni peoples.
Abu Taleb said that the United States and the US claim that targeting the Yemeni people is part of supporting the Zionist entity, while the Yemeni people assert that their military operations at sea are in the context of supporting the Palestinian people and backing the Resistance.
According to Zionist media reports, in the United States, the Pentagon held urgent security consultations, highlighting that expanding the confrontation in the Middle East into a comprehensive one is one of the important topics being discussed.
Zionisti media mentioned that weapon and missile storage facilities and drones were to be attacked as part of the planned attack from Washington and London against Sanaa. Western sources were cited as saying that the selected targets would be limited in order to avoid expanding the scope of the confrontation.
Prelude to the Aggression
In the lead up to the US imperial aggression there were several notable skirmishes. On December 31st the US brazenly murdered 10 Yemeni sailors who were actively imposing the naval blockade on the Zionist regime. Ansarallah made it clear there would be a response to these murders.
Ansarallah had previously made clear how commited the organization was to Palestinian liberation:
We swear, even if we turned into atoms scattered in the air, we will not leave Gaza. We will continue to target zionist ships and those going to the zionist entity. We will confront America, make it kneel, burn its warships, all its bases, and anyone who cooperates with it.
No matter what it costs us, we will not leave Gaza. Let the great war ignite, for we are its people and its men. To our people, our brothers, our sons, and our fathers in Gaza, we are with you. You are not alone. Our blood for you is cheap, and we are with you until our last breath.
The Yemeni Armed Forces fired several drones and missiles at a US warship that was menacing the region in support of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The UK came to the US navy’s assistance in the battle.
The US claims the bombing of Yemen today was in response to this action.
It should be noted that the genocide proceedings against the Zionist project, initiated by South Africa, started today. Furthermore, South Africa made it clear they are likely to take the US to the International Court for complicity in the ongoing genocide.
The US bombing campaign and Yemen’s actions to prevent the ongoing genocide must be viewed in this context. Yemen’s blockade is clearly to prevent the genocidal actions from continuing while the US, militarily, economically and diplomatically is doing everything its power to maintain the slaughter.
US, UK to bear severe consequences: Sanaa
Shortly after the strikes, Hussein al-Azzi, the Deputy Foreign Minister in the Sanaa government, warned that the United States and Britain must be “prepared to pay a high price and bear the severe consequences for their blatant aggression.”
Nasr al-Din Amer, Deputy Head of the Yemeni Ansar Allah Media Authority, clarified that the Yemeni Armed Forces would officially announce any Yemeni response to the aggression.
On his part, Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, said that the United States and Britain “made a mistake in waging war on Yemen and did not benefit from their previous experiences.”
Al-Bukhaiti said that “the US and Britain undoubtedly regret today their previous foolishness” (referring to the two countries’ involvement in the aggression against Yemen in 2004 and 2015), emphasizing that they “will soon realize that the direct aggression on Yemen was the biggest folly in their history.”
Fadl Abu Taleb, another member of Ansar Allah’s political bureau, reiterated Sanaa’s assertion that the US-British aggression “will not remain unanswered,” warning that the countries of aggression “will bear the consequences and repercussions of it.”
Abu Taleb indicated that the latest aggression came “against the backdrop of Yemen’s supportive stance for the Palestinian people in the face of Israeli aggression.”
Hezbollah released a communique stating:
Hezbollah strongly condemns the blatant American-British aggression against the brotherly Yemen, its security, sovereignty, and its free and honorable people, who stood with all strength, courage, and responsibility alongside the Palestinian people and their valiant resistance, exerting their utmost effort to break the siege on it by all available means and capabilities.
The American aggression confirms once again that America is a full partner in the tragedies and massacres committed by the zionist enemy in Gaza and in the region. America works to support and supply it with the machinery of killing and destruction, covering up its aggression and crimes, and attacking everyone who stands beside the oppressed Palestinian people across the region.
As we salute the dear Yemen, its national army, its proud people, and its generous leadership, we affirm that this aggression will not weaken their resolve. Rather, it will increase their strength, determination, and courage to face it, defend themselves, and continue the path in supporting the Palestinian people and advocating for their legitimate and just cause.