U.S., British militaries bombing Houthi sites in Yemen, U.S. officials say

The U.S. and British militaries were bombing more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday in a massive retaliatory strike using warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, several U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The military targets included logistical hubs, air defence systems and weapons storage locations, they said.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant to demonstrate that the U.S. and its allies «will not tolerate» the militant group's attacks on the Red Sea. He said the U.S. and its allies only made the move after attempts at diplomatic negotiations and careful deliberation.

«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,» Biden said in a statement. «These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation.»

Biden said the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Bahrain were providing support for the operation. The New York Times, quoting unidentified U.S. officials, said the support by those countries was expected to include logistics and intelligence.

Associated Press journalists in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time but saw no sign of warplanes. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Explosions also were heard by residents of Taiz, a southwestern city near the Red Sea.

The strikes marked the first U.S.