Weapons held high and massing in the thousands,
anger and powerful symbolism on the streets of Yemen's capital.
This criminal aggression will not go unpunished or unanswered,
said this Houthi military spokesman.
Overnight, the US and United Kingdom launched air strikes on
dozens of locations in Yemen,
backed by multiple countries, including Canada.
For months, Houthi militants have attacked cargo ships passing through
the Red Sea.
the US and UK strikes are aimed at weakening their
ability to do this.
This is an international problem that required an international response,
says the Pentagon. the US last month warned Houthis to
stop.
They did not.
And last night there were consequences.
No one wants to see a wider regional conflict.
But again, we also cannot allow for this kind of
dangerous,
reckless and illegal behavior to continue.
Canada's part no operational assets,
but the supportive role their Canadian military involved in,
in some of the Canadian military members involved in some
of the planning.
President, are we in a proxy war with Iran?
Indeed, the larger concern is that it sparks a broader
conflict in the region.
The Houthis say their attacks are a response to the
Israeli war in Gaza against Hamas,
which also has close ties to Iran.
Iran today condemned the strikes on Yemen.
At an event in Pennsylvania,
the US president labeled the Houthis terrorists,
adding we will make sure that we respond to who
they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies.
Will it work? Will the assaults deter the Houthis?
Say some? Unlikely. Part of the Houthi identity is built
on this narrative of resistance against the US,
against Saudi Arabia and Israel.
So this reinforces that narrative and if anything,
it will embolden them. So Paul,
if these strikes trigger more attacks in the Red Sea,
that could have an impact well beyond the Middle East.
Yeah, well, look at it this way.
The Red Sea with that squeeze point at the South
end of it where these attacks have been happening,
is one of the busiest places on the planet for
cargo ships.
It's the cheapest way to move stuff between Asia and
Europe.
Massive amounts of oil passed through it on ships every
day,
and diesel and grain and manufactured goods.
But with these Houthi attacks,
ships have been diverted. 90%
of what did go through the Red Sea is already
now going way out of the way South around South
Africa,
adding time. Expense for all If this now worsens,
the economic threat is indeed global.
Paul Hunter reporting from Washington.