The Houthis have carried out numerous attacks targeting ships in the Red Sea which are linked to Israel since the eruption of the military offensive in Gaza on October 7. Their actions are in solidarity with Hamas and are backed by Iran. They control a major part of Yemen and are part of the Iran-backed “axis of resistance” against Israel. Responding to these attacks, the US and Britain conducted air strikes on an airbase, airports, and a military camp in Yemen. The Houthi rebels denounced these strikes as aggressive and warned of dire consequences. The US President called the strikes a “defensive action” and involved fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles. The strikes targeted Houthi locations and 60 targets were hit using precision-guided munitions. The US justified the strikes as a response to threats to navigation, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles. There are concerns that these strikes could lead to a wider conflagration involving the US, Israel, Iran, and their regional proxies. The Houthis, on the other hand, have warned that they will continue to target Israel-linked shipping. The situation remains tense with the US urging Iran and its allies not to escalate the situation.