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13 Jan 2024 | 05:39 PM UTC

Yemen: Further airstrikes by coalition partners likely in Al-Houthi-controlled areas through late January /update 2

Additional airstrikes by US and UK likely in Al-Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen through late January.

Warning

Further airstrikes by the US and UK against military targets in the Al-Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen remain likely through late January. The US and UK targeted over 73 military sites overnight Jan. 11-12. Targets included radar systems and drone, ballistic missile, and cruise missile storage sites near or in Abs, Sana'a, Al-Hudaydah, Hajjah, Ta'izz, Sa'dah, and Zabid. The Al-Houthis have stated that six of its members were killed and five others injured in the Jan. 11-12 airstrikes.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that it targeted additional military facilities, including a radar site, in the early hours of Jan. 13. These airstrikes are in response to dozens of Al-Houthi drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. CENTCOM has said that its airstrikes are designed to degrade the Al-Houthis' ability to launch further attacks. However, the Yemeni group has vowed retaliation in response to the airstrikes.

The Al-Houthis will almost certainly launch retaliatory attacks over the coming days and possibly weeks. The Al-Houthis will likely continue to organize mass demonstrations in areas under its control in opposition to the Israel-Hamas conflict and airstrikes in northwestern Yemen. Violence is not likely at these events. Events are likely to occur in city centers, along major roads, near mosques, and outside government buildings. Protests in solidarity with the Al-Houthis cannot be ruled out in some regional cities.

Heed the instructions of local security forces. If incoming fire is reported in the general vicinity, stay indoors, away from windows and exterior walls. If possible, move to a ground floor or basement. Maintain contact with your country's diplomatic mission. Avoid all demonstrations.

The Al-Houthis, which are officially known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), hail from the Houthi tribe in Yemen. While the group emerged in the 1990s, it took over Sana'a and other major cities in northwestern Yemen in September 2014. The Al-Houthis are politically and militarily aligned with Iran and its other proxies in the region.

The Al-Houthis have been launching dozens of attacks against commerical vessels in the Red Sea since Nov. 19 in opposition to the Israeli ground military offensive in the Gaza Strip. CENTCOM has said that its airstrikes are aimed at degrading the group's capacity to attack maritime vessels. The Al-Houthi attacks have manifested in anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles. CENTCOM has stated that its airstrikes are separate from the newly launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.