After targeting dozens of Houthi sites in Yemen, the regional spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Samuel Warburg, stated, “We hope our message has reached the Houthis.”
Responding to Beijing’s statements that the Security Council has not authorized any country to use force in Yemen, Warburg expressed surprise at the Chinese remarks. He noted Washington’s repeated warnings to the Houthis against targeting ships in the Red Sea to avoid military strikes. Warburg added that “our strikes in Yemen will not be the last, and we will not hesitate,” emphasizing that the strikes are a message to the Houthis to immediately cease their attacks.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed concern about the situation in the Red Sea, calling for de-escalation, which threatens the international order. He rejected the use of military force in Yemen, noting that the international community has not authorized any country to conduct strikes in Yemen.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson’s statements come after American and British attacks in the past two days hit more than 60 Houthi targets in six Yemeni provinces, including military storage sites, radar locations, and drone and missile manufacturing and storage sites.
The Iran-backed Houthi group has vowed to respond to these attacks, though no significant retaliation has occurred yet.
Many experts anticipate more Houthi attacks in the region, particularly in the Red Sea, which may target commercial and possibly American ships involved in the recent strikes.
Since November 19, 2023, following more than a month after the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza on October 7, the Houthis have launched more than 27 attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, under the pretext of heading to Israel, which is blockading the sector.
The United States announced on December 18 the establishment of a multinational naval military coalition named “Guardian of Prosperity,” aimed at countering any attacks threatening international maritime safety.
