US, UK deploy Tomahawk missiles, Typhoon jets against Houthi rebels
After issuing warnings, the United States and British forces took action against Iran-backed Houthi rebels for their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. They launched missiles and bombs on targets in Yemen overnight on Friday. The US Air Force said it "executed deliberate strikes on over 60 targets at 16 Iranian-backed Houthi militant locations, and over 100 "precision-guided munitions of various types" were used. Here's a look at the weapons and military equipment used by the US and UK.
Why does this story matter?
Houthi rebels have escalated their maritime attacks in response to Israel's bombardment of Gaza. Witnesses across Yemen reported bombings across the country, Reuters reported. While the US and UK warned that they wouldn't hesitate to take further action, Iran strongly condemned the attacks. Houthis have, meanwhile, said that they were undeterred by the attacks and will continue targeting Israel-bound ships. While Houthis initially targeted only Israel-owned ships in the region, they have now expanded to any ship related to Israel.
Tomahawk missiles employed by US Navy
As a part of the operation, the US Navy employed Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) in the Red Sea. These cruise missiles can travel low to the ground and deliver a 1,000-pound warhead hundreds of miles inland. Tomahawks are known for their accuracy since they are GPS-guided, allowing them to change targets or courses after launch. They can also hover over a target area to address emerging threats or provide commanders with battle damage information.
USS Florida: A nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine
Another important player in the American operation was USS Florida, one of four nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) in the US Navy fleet. The warship can hold 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, which is 50% more than US guided-missile destroyers and nearly four times as many as the latest attack submarines. As per the director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center, the SSGNs "can deliver a lot of firepower very rapidly" and "accurately deliver a lot of punch."
British Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters part of mission
The UK's Royal Air Force also contributed to the operation by deploying Typhoon fighter jets against Houthi targets. These single-pilot, twin-engine jets can carry various air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs. The UK Defense Ministry (MoD) reported that the Typhoons used Paveway IV munitions, bombs with 500-pound warheads. The Paveway IV features tail fins that help guide it to its target based on directions received from laser markings or GPS coordinates.
Which targets were hit
The US identified its targets as radar systems, drone storage and launch sites, missile storage and launch facilities, and Houthi command and control nodes. Strikes were reported in Yemen's capital Sanaa, Hodeidah port, Dhamar, and the group's northwestern stronghold of Saada. According to the UK's MoD, the British strikes were in Bani in the north-west and Abbs airfield, which intelligence believed was a missile and drone launch site. The Houthis's military spokesman reported 72 strikes in total.
