US, British forces carry out additional strikes against Houthis in Yemen

US and British forces carried out strikes against more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, officials said, the latest round of military action against the Iran-linked group that continues to attack shipping in the region.

A joint statement from countries that either took part in the strikes or provided support, said the strikes were against 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen including underground weapons and missile storage facilities, and air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter.

Yemen’s Houthis will continue to face retaliatory action for their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Saturday following joint US-UK strikes on 18 targets.

“The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” Austin said in a statement.

“We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks, which harm Middle Eastern economies, cause environmental damage, and disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen and other countries.”