US sends “private message” to Iran after Yemen attack

• President Biden announces private communication with Iran regarding the Houthis in Yemen.
• The US claims the latest strike is a “follow-on action” targeting radar.
• Iran denies involvement in the Houthis’ Red Sea attacks.

President Biden announced that the US has privately communicated with Iran regarding the Houthis in Yemen after the US executed a second strike on the group.

“We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well-prepared,” he said without giving further details.

The US stated that its latest strike constituted a “follow-on action” targeting radar, while Iran denies involvement in the Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea. Despite Tehran’s denial, suspicions persist regarding Iran’s supply of weapons to the Houthis, with the US emphasizing the crucial role of Iranian intelligence in enabling the targeting of ships.

Joint UK-US airstrikes, supported by Western allies like Australia and Canada, targeted nearly 30 Houthi positions.

The US Central Command later reported conducting a recent strike on a Houthi radar site in Yemen using Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron justified the military action against the Houthis in Yemen as a response to their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

He mentioned that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed to assist the US with “limited and targeted” strikes.

A Houthi spokesman downplayed the impact of the strikes on the group’s ability to affect shipping. The Houthis, an armed group from Yemen’s Shia Muslim minority, control significant areas in Yemen, including Sanaa and the Red Sea coastline.

While Western governments assert that the airstrikes on Houthi targets are a necessary response to unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping, the perception in Yemen and the wider Arab world differs. Some view these actions as the US and UK aligning with Israel in the Gaza war, given the Houthis’ declaration of solidarity with Hamas and the people of Gaza.

The airstrikes may temporarily degrade the Houthis’ capacity to attack ships, but there’s a growing risk that prolonged airstrikes could draw the US and UK into another conflict in Yemen.

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