US and UK bomb Houthi military facilities in Yemen

US President Biden said the US is willing to take "further measures" if the attacks continue, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III said "the Houthis will bear further costs if they do not end their illegal attacks".

In addition to saying the air strikes on Houthi targets were in self-defence, both the US and the UK stressed the legality of their actions under international law. The UK published a policy paper on the legality of its "military action to target Houthi facilities in Yemen". The paper cited the 9 January Houthi attacks on UK military vessels "involving multiple drones" and the government’s assessment that the attacks would continue "unless action is taken to deter them".

"Military intervention to strike carefully identified targets to effectively downgrade the Houthi’s capabilities and deter further attacks was lawfully taken. It was necessary and proportionate to respond to attacks by the Houthis and this was the only feasible means available to deal with such attacks. The UK is permitted under international law to use force in such circumstances where acting in self-defence is the only feasible means to deal with an actual or imminent armed attack and where the force used is necessary and proportionate," the UK policy paper said. 

The US Secretary of Defense said "a coalition of countries committed to upholding the rules-based international order demonstrated our shared commitment to defending US and international vessels and commercial vessels exercising navigational rights and freedoms from illegal and unjustifiable attacks".

A joint statement from 10 governments that have pledged support for the international naval coalition Operation Prosperity Guardian said the air strikes aimed "to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the US and UK air strikes disproportionate, according to Reuters.

As attacks on shipping have turned to military exchanges and Western warships have been repositioned to the Red Sea area from the Gulf of Oman, Iran, which supports the Yemen-based Houthi militias with weapons and training, has taken the opportunity to board and seize an oil tanker, St Nikolas, formerly Suez Rajan, that the US had seized last year as part of sanctions enforcement against Iran.

The UKMTO reported the incident, saying a vessel had been boarded off Oman by "unauthorised boarders [who] are reported to be wearing military-style black uniforms with black masks". The vessel quickly changed course and headed toward Iranian waters, shutting off communications channels. Iran later confirmed in Iranian state media it was responsible for the seizure and the vessel was taken in retaliation for the US selling the oil the vessel contained.

The company that manages the tanker, Empire Navigation, said it was loaded with 145,000 tonnes of crude oil and was carrying 18 Filipinos and one Greek citizen as crew. US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, "We believe this kind of action will simply add uncertainty for commercial shipping and for regional and global economies".

An Indian think tank, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has forecast increases in shipping costs of up to 60% and insurance premiums rising by 20% in response to the attacks in the region and decisions by cargo carriers to reroute shipments around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. 

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