WASHINGTON - In a significant escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, the United States and the United Kingdom have launched joint air and sea strikes against Houthi military installations in Yemen. This action comes in response to the Houthi group's recent assaults on shipping routes in the Red Sea.

Explosions were reported across Yemen, with local sources confirming the strikes. President Joe Biden, addressing the nation late Thursday, emphasized the United States' readiness to take further measures if necessary. "These targeted strikes are a decisive message that we, along with our allies, will not tolerate threats to our personnel or challenges to freedom of navigation," stated Biden.

The UK's Ministry of Defense reported initial successes, suggesting a significant weakening of the Houthis' capabilities to threaten maritime shipping. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, currently hospitalized due to surgery complications, noted that the strikes were aimed at Houthi infrastructures, including their drone, missile, radar, and surveillance systems.

President Biden also acknowledged the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands in these operations. The strikes, he explained, were a direct reaction to the Houthis' unprecedented assaults on international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, posing risks to American personnel, civilian mariners, and global trade routes.

Echoing Biden's sentiments, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the involvement of the British Royal Air Force in the coordinated strikes with the U.S. Local authorities in Yemen reported that the U.S. and Britain had conducted 23 strikes across four provinces.

In a defiant response, Houthi deputy foreign minister Hussein al-Ezzi warned of significant repercussions for the U.S. and UK, condemning the strikes as "blatant aggression."

As of 3:20 am, the U.S. and UK announced a temporary cessation of the strikes in Yemen, with the possibility of resumption if Houthi threats persist.

"These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade Houthi capabilities that pose a threat to international maritime security," stated a joint communique from the involved nations. "We remain committed to defending lives and ensuring the free flow of commerce in these critical waterways," the statement added.

The strikes mark a new phase in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, representing the first U.S. military response to the Houthi campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels. This decisive military action follows a final warning issued by the White House and partner nations to the Houthis, urging them to cease their attacks.