Over A Dozen “Massive” Strikes By US & UK Against Houthis In Yemen Will Accomplish Little, Houthis Vow “Unimaginable” Revenge

“In the first month of its war in Gaza, Israel dropped hundreds of massive bombs, many of them capable of killing or wounding people more than 1,000 feet away.” Despite launching thousands upon thousands of airstrikes against Hamas since then, Hamas still manages to pose a significant threat against Israeli citizens. Yesterday’s “massive” operation of over a dozen airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen by the US and the UK is anemic, far too limited and will accomplish little other than to inflame regional tensions. If the US and the UK wanted to send a message to Yemen, all they’ve managed to convey are loud barks with little bite …

AP – “The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, U.S. officials said.

The U.S. Air Force’s Mideast command said it struck over 60 targets at 16 sites in Yemen, including ‘command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems.’

President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant to demonstrate that the U.S. and its allies ‘will not tolerate’ the militant group’s ceaseless attacks on the Red Sea. And he said they only made the move after attempts at diplomatic negotiations and careful deliberation.

‘These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,’ Biden said in a statement. He noted the attacks endangered U.S. personnel and civilian mariners and jeopardized trade, and he added, ‘I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.’” Read more.

Iran-Backed Rebels Vow “Unimaginable” Revenge On US And UK After Airstrikes – “The Iran-backed Houthis have vowed ‘unimaginable’ revenge in the wake of the US and UK’s overnight blitz on their military bases in Yemen. The furious rebel group called the coalition strikes that hit 60 military targets and killed five of their militants an act of ‘war’ as a full-blown conflict threatens to explode in the region. Western coalition forces smashed dozens of military targets, including an airbase, airport and army camp in what Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called ‘a proportion action of self-defence’. The PM today said the UK needs to send a ‘strong signal’ that the Houthi rebel attacks are wrong and cannot be carried out with ‘impunity’.” Read more.