London and Washington may launch missiles against the Houthis as early as Thursday evening, multiple outlets say
The British and American governments have decided to launch air and missile strikes against the Houthis of Yemen in order to unblock the Red Sea, multiple outlets have reported on Thursday evening, citing anonymous sources.
British PM Rishi Sunak has “authorized joint military strikes with the US” and got approval from his cabinet, according to Bloomberg. Earlier in the day, The Times reported that strikes could be “imminent” as early as Thursday evening.
The UK currently has two ships in the area, the destroyer HMS Diamond and the frigate HMS Lancaster, with the frigate HMS Richmond en route, according to the BBC.
The Times said the US-led coalition would target Houthi “bases and boats” with ships and fighter jets.
Neither 10 Downing Street nor the White House have made any official announcements yet.
“We cannot have a situation where a major sea route, a major ability to move goods around the world is being cut off by terrorists and thugs and we therefore must act,” British Defense Secretary Grant Schapps said after Tuesday’s incident, in which the Houthis targeted Western warships with missiles and drones.
The Shia group that controls Yemen’s capital announced on Thursday that it was not afraid of the West.
READ MORE: Houthis launch ‘complex’ missile attack
“We will respond to any American aggression,” Houthi spokesman Abdulsalam Jahaf posted on X (formerly Twitter). “We will confront America, [make it] kneel, and burn its battleships and all its bases and everyone who co-operates with it, no matter what the cost.”
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