U.S. and UK launch coordinated strike on Yemen overnight

U.S. and British forces carried out a joint military operation in Yemen last night (Tuesday to Wednesday), targeting a Houthi facility believed to be manufacturing drones used in attacks on Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping, according to a statement from Britain’s Ministry of Defence.

The British statement said intelligence had identified a cluster of buildings roughly 24 kilometers south of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, used to produce Houthi drones. The strike was conducted after dark to minimize the risk to civilians, and all British aircraft reportedly returned safely. The statement did not detail any casualties, and US military officials have not yet commented.

This latest strike comes amid a broader escalation ordered by President Donald Trump last month. His administration has vowed to continue targeting Iran-backed Houthi forces until attacks on maritime routes cease. The US and UK have previously coordinated similar strikes in the region.

The operation follows mounting scrutiny over civilian casualties from recent airstrikes. Houthi-controlled media reported Monday that a U.S. airstrike killed 68 people at a detention center for African migrants. A U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the Pentagon is reviewing reports of civilian harm. Mid-April also saw one of the deadliest strikes of the conflict, with 74 reportedly killed at an oil terminal in a U.S. attack, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.