In a retaliatory move against rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, the United States and Britain launched missile and air strikes against Yemen's Houthi militants. The strikes targeted dozens of Houthi-controlled sites in response to weeks of drone and missile attacks on commercial shipping in the busy waterway. The US Air Force claimed to have hit over 60 targets at 16 sites, including command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defense radar systems. The strikes began at around 2:30 am, with American jets flying from the carrier USS Eisenhower and Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from a submarine and other warships. Meanwhile, four RAF Typhoon jets supported by a refueling tanker flew from Cyprus to hit two targets in Yemen with laser-guided 500lb Paveway bombs.

The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, warned that the allies would pay a "heavy price" for the strikes. Houthi television reported that the strikes hit the capital Sana'a, as well as the cities of Hodeida and Saada. The rebels claimed that the attacks had killed five people and wounded six. The Houthis threatened to expand their response to the attacks "very soon." Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official, described the strikes as a "massive aggressive attack" carried out by American and British ships, submarines, and warplanes. He warned that the US and UK would bear the dire consequences of their aggression.

The Houthi rebels began attacking and seizing ships in mid-November, citing support for Hamas and demanding an end to Israeli fighting in Gaza. These attacks have led to increased traffic avoidance in the Red Sea, causing ships to take longer and more costly routes around the Cape of Good Hope. The strikes have also resulted in a surge in oil prices, with a more than 2% increase in trading.

Yemen has been plagued by war and political crisis for over a decade, leading to one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. The country has witnessed protests, the resignation of its president, the seizure of territory by Houthi rebels, and intervention by Saudi-led forces supporting the internationally recognized government. The civil war, along with the activities of al-Qaeda and Islamic State jihadist groups, has resulted in an estimated death toll of at least 150,000 people, with three-quarters of the population requiring some form of aid.

Following the initial strikes, the US carried out a second wave of military strikes on Houthi militants. These strikes targeted a radar facility used by the rebels after they fired an anti-ship missile towards a commercial vessel in the Red Sea. The second strikes were carried out solely by the US from a Navy ship, while the first strikes were conducted by the US and UK, with support from Canada, Australia, Bahrain, and the Netherlands. The US had warned of further strikes if the Houthis continued to attack commercial and military shipping in the Red Sea. President Joe Biden emphasized that the US would respond to the Houthis if they persisted with their "outrageous behavior." In total, the initial strikes targeted 28 Houthi-controlled locations in Yemen using over 150 bombs and missiles. Fighter jets launched raids from the USS Eisenhower, USS Gravely, USS Mason, and USS Philippine Sea, while an Ohio-class submarine also participated in the strikes.