The US and UK have carried out a new round of collaborative airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Pentagon announced that the strikes on Monday targeted eight locations, including an underground storage site and Houthi missile and surveillance capabilities. The Iran-backed Houthi group has been reportedly targeting ships they claim are associated with Israel and the West as they pass through the strategically significant Red Sea trade route. The US and UK stated that their actions aim to safeguard the "unrestricted flow of commerce." 

In a joint statement issued by the Pentagon, it was confirmed that the airstrikes were a proportionate and necessary response. The statement also reemphasized the intention to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, while warning the Houthi leadership that they will defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most crucial waterways in the face of ongoing threats. 

This marks the eighth instance of US airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen and the second joint operation with the UK, following previous joint strikes on January 11. The joint statement noted that the strikes received support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands.

UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps characterized the strikes as an act of "self-defense" in response to the Houthi's intolerable attacks on merchant shipping. He expressed that the action aimed to degrade Houthi capabilities and diminish their ability to threaten global trade.