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Blake, Wm. The Rout of the Rebel Angels. 1808.

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The U.S. and UK have conducted airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, in retaliation for attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have launched over two dozen attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since November, severely hampering the freedom of navigation in one of the world's main commercial shipping routes.

Biden said in a statement that at his direction, the coalition of military forces “successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world's most vital waterways.”

He continued: “These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date—directly targeting American ships.”

Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said in a televised address that "any American attack [would] not remain without a response," adding this would "be greater" than its attack on Tuesday.

The Houthis have said they began the attacks to get the Israeli military to halt its offensive in Gaza, which began after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.