Washington, Jan 12, (dpa/GNA) – The military strike against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which the United States and Britain launched overnight in the Red Sea in support of allies, was carried out in accordance with the UN Charter, an allied joint statement said.
It is “in response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea,” the joint statement, which was signed by the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and South Korea in addition to the US and Britain.
“These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use, to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” the joint statement said.
The more than two dozen attacks by the Houthis on merchant ships since mid-November “constitute an “international challenge.”
The military strike “demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners, from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.
The common goal remains de-escalation and the restoration of stability in the Red Sea, the allies said. In the event of continued threats, “we will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats,” the statement said.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships with an alleged Israeli connection in the Red Sea. Major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the route. The Houthis also repeatedly attack Israel directly with drones and missiles.
GNA