US, UK forces conduct 3 airstrikes in western Yemen

SANAA, Yemen

The US and UK forces have carried out three airstrikes on the Al Hudaydah province in western Yemen, the Houthis said on Friday.

Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported that "US-British aggressive forces targeted the Ras Issa area in the Salif district of Al Hudaydah with three airstrikes."

The channel did not provide information about the casualties or damage caused by the three strikes, and neither the US nor the British forces issued any immediate statements.

On Thursday, the Houthis said the US-British coalition forces carried out two airstrikes on the Al-Jabana area of the same province.

Al Hudaydah, located on the Red Sea, is a strategic Yemeni province with an international airport, three vital ports, and a long coastline.

Since the beginning of 2024, US-led coalition forces have been conducting airstrikes in Yemen that they say target Houthi locations in response to the group's attacks in the Red Sea. The group occasionally retaliates in response to these attacks.

In solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which is facing devastating Israeli offensives, the Houthis have been targeting Israeli cargo ships in the Red Sea or ones associated with Tel Aviv with missiles and drones.

With Washington and London providing military and financial support to Israel even though its forces killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Houthis announced that all American and British ships are now military targets.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi