On January 12, 2024, the United States and the United Kingdom launched large-scale air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, striking their military facilities in Sana'a, Taiz, Hodeidah, Saada and other places, including airports, air bases, military camps, etc. According to Russia**, citing sources, the United States and Britain carried out a total of 23 air strikes. This is the first time that the United States and Britain have directly used force against the Houthis, and it is also an important turning point in the recent war in the Middle East.
The Houthis, a Shiite militant group in Yemen, have controlled Yemen's capital, Sana'a, and much of the north since 2014, plunging Yemeni** and Saudi Arabia-led multinational coalitions into a protracted civil war. The Houthis have close ties with Iran and are considered one of Iran's leading players in the Middle East. The Houthis also regularly fire missiles and drones into Saudi territory, threatening Saudi security and stability.
The U.S. and British airstrikes against the Houthis are a response to their recent provocations in the Red Sea. On December 31 last year, three Houthi speedboats exchanged fire with a US Navy aircraft in the Red Sea, resulting in the sinking of three speedboats and the death of ten Houthi members. This is the first direct clash between the United States and the Houthis. On January 3, the United States and the United Kingdom, together with a number of Western countries, issued an ultimatum to the Houthis, demanding that they stop their attacks on Saudi Arabia or face severe consequences. The Houthis rejected the ultimatum and on January 9 intercepted and attacked a U.S. ship passing through the Red Sea, damaging the vessel and injuring its crew.
Biden issued a statement after the airstrike, saying that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to protect the interests of the United States and its allies, as well as to maintain regional peace and security. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the purpose of the airstrikes was to weaken the Houthis' radar, aerial reconnaissance, drone and missile capabilities to deter their threat to Saudi Arabia and other countries.
The US and British air strikes on the Houthis have not only exacerbated the civil war in Yemen, but also made the situation in the Middle East more tense and complicated. The Middle East is already in a number of war-torn regions, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the confrontation between Allah, the Kurdish issue, the anti-US forces in Syria and Iraq, and the Iranian nuclear issue. The US-British air strikes on the Houthis are undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire and may trigger a larger-scale war and crisis.
For China, the U.S. and British air strikes against the Houthis have also brought new challenges and risks to China's maritime transportation. The Red Sea is an important waterway connecting Asia and Africa and an important part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. China needs to speed up the construction of strategic land-sea transport corridors to safeguard China's maritime interests and security. At the same time, China should also adhere to the path of peaceful development, promote political settlement, dialogue and cooperation in the Middle East, and contribute to world peace and development.