UK/USA start striking targets in Yemen
 

Usual caveats - quite a few social media accounts reporting that this is underway.

"Airstrikes by U.S. and British Aircraft have so far Targeted the Cities of Hodeidah, Taizz, and Zabid as well as the Capital of Sana'a in Houthi-Controlled Western Yemen."

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1745592593054839085?s=20

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that the United States and Britain with the Support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands have conducted Joint Missile and Airstrikes tonight against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Western Yemen, in order to prevent their further Targeting of Commercial Shipping in the Red Sea.

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/17...295110959?s=20

Usual caveats:

"American-British raids targeting the Yemeni governorate of Saada, a short while ago."

https://x.com/PalestineNW/status/174...491420414?s=20

Statement from President Joe Biden on Coalition Strikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas in Yemen


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1cb7176edd.jpg

UK Gov Statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/p...2-january-2024

"The Royal Air Force has carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.In recent months, the Houthi militia have carried out a series of dangerous and destabilising attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, threatening UK and other international ships, causing major disruption to a vital trade route and driving up commodity prices. Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week.

This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.

The Royal Navy continues to patrol the Red Sea as part of the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian to deter further Houthi aggression, and we urge them to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate."

RAF? What assets, and where from?

"First images from the UK of its attack against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Four Typhoon jets - supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft - dropped Paveway bombs on 2 military facilities used by Houthis to launch drone and missile strikes."

https://x.com/haynesdeborah/status/1...226801604?s=20


​​​​​​​https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/...245398449?s=20

Four Typhoons (plus spare) and a Voyager from Akrotiri apparently.

Clip here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFoota...eb2x&context=3

Good.
Supported by Australia - is there a RAAF Wedgetail or KC30 up there?
Or was it just RAAF bodies helping with targeting?
I see from previous releases we have six people up there - but assume there are still no support aircraft.
Latest news seems to be it was 4 RAF Typhoons using Paveways that did the bombing part...

Hornets and growlers off the eisenhower, 4 typhoons from cyprus with 2 tankers, B-2 was allegedly spotted in the UAE an hour before. P-8 was spotted on ADSB off the coast <hour before the strike and tomahawks off the SSGN USS florida

And now a Houthi spokesperson claims they downed an F-22.

with a... machete?

Would the RAF aircraft gave flown over Saudi on the way? Or would it e Egypt or a very long way round?

Routes
 

Straight down the Red Sea I would imagine. Though I should add I have no actual idea.

BV

I cannot imagine Israel objecting to overflight which is hardly a detour either. Egypt also has self interest in having the canal accessible. The only surprise is the Houthis complaining how unfair it is that people are shooting back.

Is this the modern day equivalent of Hawker Hinds dropping bombs on rogue Arab leaders in the 20's and 30's? Nothing changes out there does it.

It would not have been politically wise to have overflown Israel for this purpose even if permission were (undoubtedly) forthcoming. Egypt has a very obvious incentive to approve, nay encourage overflight, and using that route is obviously consistent with the aim of protecting shipping. Some carrier advocates have been ventilating their usual arguments about the risk of relying on overflight permissions, rather overlooking the fact that Egypt would need to permit a Suez transit for the carrier to get on station (unless prepared to wait an extra few weeks for a trip via the Cape). There's also the fact that operations are hardly ever carried out against the wishes of *all* regional players; even carriers need shore logistic support for any kind of sustained operation.

I thought Jeremy Bowen's commentary on the 10 o'clock News last night was disgraceful, essentially parroting Houthi talking points on Israel and making no reference to international trade or freedom of navigation. One only has to look at the Norwegian, Iraqi and Turkish interests of the ships targeted thus far by the Houthis and Iran to realise that their stated constraint of only interfering with shipping to Israel is total rubbish. The official US and UK statements are at least clear.

I agree about Jeremy Bowen last night. He also failed to mention the small point that the Houthis had attacked a British warship going about its lawful pursuits in international waters. That alone is a reason for action.

And the Saudi's aren't friends with the Houthis either

No it is not! The Houthi's are capable of mounting simultaneous UAV Drone, anti-ship cruise missile and anti-ship ballistic missile attacks on both Naval vessels and merchant ships, whom they have also captured via heli-borne assault. So yes, a LOT changes! And the Houthi's have been under near daily air attack from the Saudi's since 2015...

However, the events in Gaza have consequences and they won't want to be seen overtly aiding the 'Crusaders' who 1)are perceived as unquestioning backers of Israel and 2) whose chattering classes were constantly condemning the Saudi's actions in Yemen.

I presume targeting data would have to be updated using satellite and USN assest intelligence fairly late in the mission on a 3000nm round trip if the targets were mobile weapons rather than command and control?

The Cyprus Mail has been reassuring its readers about the danger of Houthi responses:

https://x.com/HensonJames11/status/1...980755040?s=20

More elegantly and traditionally:

......... and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions: that the inhabitants of our island may in peace and quietness serve thee our God; ..........................

indeed. Not sure what additional impact these attacks will have.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2c2e4814cf.jpg

Updated UK MOD footage of last night's strikes.

Thank you LB. As read by Noel Coward in “ In which we serve”

My thoughts exactly. With no disrespect to those who carried out yesterday's strikes - haven't the Saudis been hitting the Houthis for years now with very similar weapons, using similar aircraft to little avail?
Granted coalition will have much better surveillance, intel etc... and be able to bring greater numbers of weapons to the fight.

The Saudis were not attacking a specific capability, they were attacking the Houthis in general. What the USA and the UK strikes are doing is attacking missile sites and the ability of the Houthis to launch missiles against shipping. The West have been doing this sort of thing since 1991 so I think they are proficient at it. I also think that the Allied pilots will have tighter ROE than the Saudis.

Quite.

Some secondaries in the IR videos, it wasn't just a sandpit that got struck.

Anither US Tomahawk attack last night on an airfield AD radar site near the capital.

Presumably a mopping up exercise post-BDR from the previous night’s attack.

Would these sites have been identified as threats from the previous nights raid? Presumably they at least tracked coalition aircraft opening them up to attack?

The Yanks maybe. Not sure we'll be seeing that many 3000nm round trip sorties from the UK component. More of a symbolic effort IMO.

Just route the ships around the Cape and accept it'll take a few weeks longer and cost a bit more to get our cheap Chineses tat - job done.

Indeed, one wonders if protecting the Chinese trade effort is the best use of UK taxpayers money.

Back in the day, when the British empire was the world's larges trading entity, the Royal Navy was the world's largest in order to protect that trade.
Seems like China has been getting a free ride at UK/US expense.

To add to this, reported this morning that the French, Germans and Italians are playing no part in the action.

According to Reuters 'experts' the emphasis on the Houthis risk increasing piracy elsewhere which I assume includes threats to ships on the Cape Route. (5 Jan story about Indian Navy's intervention in the attempted hijack of MV Lila Norfolk)

Rishi Sunak spoke with the Egyptian President on Thursday. I guess it's no surprise just what they were talking about.

I noticed on the Beeb news last night that the third F18 seemed to go off the cat dry. Surely this isn’t SOP. There also seemed to be some flashes from under the wings just as it went out of shot, which made me wonder if it was a “clear wing” moment.

Anyone with F18 experience out there have a view?

Mog

Dry as in dry thrust? If so, the Superhornet doesn't need AB under a certain gross weight (big enough motors fitted) to get off the deck.

m