In a recent development in Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have issued a threat to increase attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. This comes after overnight strikes by the United States and Britain, targeted at Houthi positions, which the rebels claim resulted in the death of 16 people.

According to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin, the US used a 5,000-pound bunker-buster bomb, GBU-72, in an effort to destroy an underground Houthi facility. The effectiveness of the strike is yet to be determined, including any possible civilian casualties. The Houthis stated that among the 16 casualties, an unspecified number were civilians, but independent verification is lacking.

The Houthis, who hold control over parts of Yemen, have been carrying out numerous drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November. These attacks have disrupted the crucial Red Sea trade route and included strikes on US warships in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The recent joint strikes by US and UK forces targeted 13 Houthi sites, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). In response, the Houthis launched a missile attack on the US aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. The rebels warned of further retaliation against any new aggression directed towards Yemeni territories.

Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-controlled television network, broadcasted a video showing injured men in a building that reportedly housed a radio station in the city of Hodeida. The authenticity of the footage could not be independently verified, but a hospital employee in Hodeida claimed that many militants were among the casualties.

The British defense ministry confirmed its involvement in the strikes, stating that their aircraft targeted Houthi military facilities near Hodeida. The ministry also reported the identification of drone ground control facilities, storage for long-range drones, and surface-to-air weapons in the targeted buildings.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the strikes as self-defense against an ongoing threat, citing 197 Houthi attacks since November. CENTCOM echoed this sentiment, stressing the necessity of the strikes to protect their forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and enhance international waters' safety.

Iran voiced its condemnation of the US-UK military action, accusing them of spreading insecurity in the region. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanani, held the US and UK governments responsible for the consequences of their actions against the Yemeni people.

The joint strikes conducted by the US and UK since January aim to quell Houthi aggression and disruption of shipping. However, despite these efforts, the rebels remain determined to target American and British vessels, as well as ships heading to Israeli ports.

Additionally, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone using a surface-to-air missile, asserting that this was the sixth such aircraft downed in recent months.

As tensions continue to rise in Yemen, the international community closely watches the situation, hoping for a resolution that will restore stability and minimize the impact on civilians caught in the crossfire.