Read Biden’s Full Statement on the Strikes in Yemen

Here is President Biden’s full statement on the strikes conducted against the Houthi militia in Yemen by the United States and allies, as released by the White House on Thursday:

Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.

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. These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and our partners, jeopardized trade and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea — which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on Jan. 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date — directly targeting American ships.

The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute. Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian — a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the