US conducts second strike against Houthis in Yemen

The U.S. conducted a second round of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, only a day after a multi-allied coordinated attack struck close to 30 Houthi targets. 

The strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen were smaller in scope than the air and naval assault carried out Thursday. The new strikes targeted a Houthi radar facility, multiple outlets reported Friday night. 

In retaliation for Thursday’s multi-nation strike, the Houthis fired at least one anti-ship ballistic missile in the direction of a commercial ship that landed in the Red Sea. 

The coordinated attack between the U.S. and the U.K. which was backed also by Bahrain, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands was an attempt to deter the Houthi from firing and disrupting international shipping routes in the region. Only the U.S. was involved in the second-round strike. 

The U.S. threatened additional attacks if the Houthis do not back off from attacking commercial ships. 

“We will make sure we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies,” President Biden said on Friday.

Strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council John Kirby said the White House was trying to prevent escalation. 

“Everything we’re doing, everything we’re trying to do is to prevent any further escalation,” Kirby told CNN. 

Since the Houthis began the attacks in November on commercial vessels, disrupting international shipping routes, hundreds of ships had to change courses, primarily going around Africa, a path that costs more money and takes longer to complete.  

It is unclear if the second round of attacks by the U.S. was due to the anti-ballistic missile launched early on Friday. 

The strikes on Thursday killed five and wounded six people, according to a Houthi military spokesperson.