The US also re-designated Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance as a ‘global terrorist group’ over their operations against Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea
US and UK warplanes resumed bombing Yemen in the early hours of 18 January, marking the fourth attack on the poorest nation in the Arab world in less than a week.
“US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting US forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves.”
U.S. CENTCOM Strikes Houthi Terrorist Missile Launchers
In the context of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on U.S. and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea, on Jan. 17 at approximately 11:59 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central… pic.twitter.com/MMCQbzr1f7
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 18, 2024
The US and UK attacks targeted the provinces of Hodeidah, Taiz, Dhamar, al-Bayda, and Saada. A Yemeni official told Al-Mayadeen that the western planes hit the same targets during their previous aggressions.
Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said previously that “it would not be surprising” if these attacks on Yemen only brought more retaliatory attacks from Sanaa.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented on Thursday’s attacks, saying: “The UN has not given the US the right to strike Yemen, like Libya, this is a departure from the law.”
The Yemeni armed forces announced on 17 January an attack on a US-owned ship in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
بيان صادر عن القوات المسلحة اليمنية
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قال تعالى: {فَمَنِ ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَیۡكُمۡ فَٱعۡتَدُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِ بِمِثۡلِ مَا ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَیۡكُمۡۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوۤا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ } صدق الله العظيمانتصاراً لمظلوميةِ الشعبِ الفلسطينيِّ… pic.twitter.com/S1qJaAOdgH
— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21ye) January 17, 2024
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against the American ship (GENCO Picardy) in the Gulf of Aden with several naval missiles,” Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces, said in a statement.
Saree added that “the Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to target all sources of threat in the Arab and Red Seas within the legitimate right to defend dear Yemen and to continue supporting the oppressed Palestinian people.”
Thursday’s attacks on Yemen came one day after the US re-designated Ansarallah as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist group.” The reasoning given is the operations carried out by Yemen against Israeli-linked ships in solidarity with the resistance in Gaza.
“Ansarallah is being designated for having committed or attempted to commit, posing a significant risk of committing or having participated in training to commit acts of terrorism that threaten the security of United States nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. This designation and the associated general licenses will be effective on February 16, 2024,” the Department of State statement reads.
INTERNATIONALIST 360° 