US redoubles bombing in Yemen | For the second day in a row

For the second day in a row, the United States carried out selective bombings against Houthi rebel positions in Yemen on Saturday.Despite calls from many Middle Eastern countries and the United Nations (UN) not to stop, due to fears that this military expansion could lead to a regional war.

The first action took place early in the morning The move came after the US Navy destroyer USS Carney fired Tomahawk surface-to-air missiles at Sanaa, according to a statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM). It was directed against the radar used by the Houthis.

Washington did not elaborate on the motive for the attack, though witnesses told the news agency EFE Two missiles hit Al Taylami air base north of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, which has been controlled by rebels since 2014. CENTCOM described itself as conducting strikes against a specific military target. Friday, along with the United Kingdom, is designed to reduce the Houthis' ability to attack merchant ships in the Red Sea.

For its part, Yemen's Houthi rebellion has vowed that the attack will have no repercussions. “We have no evidence of injuries or human or material losses. In addition, the site was not operational this Saturday,” Houthi Deputy Information Minister Nasreddin Amar told the Pan-Arab TV network. Al JazeeraHe assured that the team would respond forcefully and effectively.

Second round attack

After A second round of bombing took place in the afternoon, was reportedly launched by the US targeting the Ras Qassib naval base located in the port city of Al Hodeida in western Yemen. From there, the rebels have launched dozens of attacks against the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November. So far, the purpose of the operation is unknown, and it has not been announced by Washington, although it occurred minutes after the Houthis fired a missile from the port of Al Hodeidah in the direction of the southern Red Sea.

On Friday, after the first bombings in Yemen, the United States, England, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and South Korea. They justified the move in a joint statement, saying it was done to protect international trade and Red Sea smugglers.. “I will not hesitate to order additional measures to protect our people and ensure the unhindered flow of international trade,” US President Joe Biden added in another statement later that day.

Meanwhile, Yahya Sariya, the Houthis' military spokesman, said in a televised statement that the attacks would not stop his group from blocking the passage of commercial ships bound for Israel or any ship bound for an Israeli port. Red Sea, in solidarity with the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip Spread of war between Israeli troops and the Islamist movement Hamas.

Fear of territorial escalation

As a result, the tension is increasing The call for self-restraint was renewed this Saturday by several Middle Eastern countriesAlthough Washington insists it does not want to engage in a conflict with the Iran-backed Houthis, there are those who worry the attacks could lead to a regional war.

In this sense, the president of Iraq Abdullatif Rasheed He noted the situation. “We strongly condemn attempts to expand the war and assure that the adventures of fire, in this case, will consume us all,” the President stressed.According to the message of the Presidency of Iraq on the social network X.

Lebanon's foreign ministry called for the detention to guarantee stability in the Middle East. “Ignoring the real reasons for this escalation, namely, the global ceasefire of the Israeli offensive and the war against Gaza, will widen the circle of the conflict as it has already begun to happen recently,” the Lebanese ministry warned in a statement. .

Hans Grundberg, head of the UN mission in Yemen, expressed grave concern about the military escalation and warned of its impact on efforts to achieve peace in the Arab country, which has been mired in a deep war since 2014. Severe humanitarian crisis.