In a joint operation, the United States and the United Kingdom have carried out large-scale air and missile strikes on Houthi rebel facilities in Yemen, according to officials from both countries. The strikes come as a response to the militant group's continued attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Over the past week, the U.S. military has launched preemptive strikes against Houthi anti-ship missile sites that were preparing to fire on international shipping. Despite these efforts, the militants have persisted in their assault on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

This marks the second time that U.S. and U.K. forces have conducted such joint strikes on the Houthis since their attacks on international shipping began in November. On January 11, the two militaries, supported by Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain, launched strikes for the first time after the Houthis ignored warnings to cease their attacks.

While the U.S. has conducted several solo operations against Houthi targets since then, these strikes were limited in scale and targeted specific imminent threats, according to the Pentagon. President Joe Biden and his top advisors have emphasized that strikes on Houthi targets alone will not be enough to deter them from endangering commercial ships in the Middle East.

However, an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, or at least a reduction in hostilities, could potentially weaken the Houthis' rationale for targeting global shipping in regional waters.