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British Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets have joined American forces in launching airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, marking the first direct military engagement authorised by the Labour government, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. The operation, carried out overnight, targetted suspected drone manufacturing sites south of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, the report said.
RAF Typhoon jets, supported by Voyager air tankers, reportedly struck a cluster of buildings 15 miles south of the capital. The sites were used by the Iran-backed Houthis to produce drones that have increasingly targetted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, The Guardian report stated, citing the UK Ministry of Defence.
British Defence Secretary John Healey reportedly said the operation was a response to “a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation.” In a statement posted on social media shortly after midnight, Healey added, “A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK.”
This marks the UK’s first involvement in the US-led offensive against the Houthis, which began in earnest under the Trump administration on March 15 with the launch of Operation Rough Rider, the report said, adding that until now, Britain had only participated in earlier joint strikes between January and May 2024 during the Biden administration.
Since the start of Operation Rough Rider, U.S. Central Command reported that more than 800 targets have been struck, killing “hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders.” However, the offensive has also drawn criticism for a reported rise in civilian casualties.
According to the report, the Houthis have claimed that 68 people were killed in a strike on a detention centre housing African migrants in Saada earlier this week. Another 80 civilian deaths were reported in an April 18 attack on the port of Ras Isa, in claims that have raised alarm among humanitarian organisations.
Annie Shiel, US Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict (Civic), told The Guardian, “US strikes continue to raise significant questions about the precautions taken to prevent civilian harm, as required by both international law and US policy.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s Ministry of Defence reportedly said the RAF strikes had been carefully planned to “allow the targets to be prosecuted with minimal risk to civilians or non-military infrastructure.” A spokesperson told the publication, “As a further precaution, the strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced yet further.”
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