The British Ministry of Defence said the US and British forces on Tuesday conducted a joint military operation in Yemen against a Houthi military target responsible for making drones like those used to attack shipping.
Last month, President Donald Trump ordered the intensification of US strikes on Yemen, with his administration saying it would continue assaulting Iran-backed Houthi rebels until they stop attacking Red Sea shipping.
Britain and the US have also previously conducted joint operations and strikes in Yemen.
In a statement, the British said intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings located some 15 miles (24 km) south of Yemen’s capital Sanaa that were used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
It did not, however, mention details about any casualties.
According to the statement, the strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced, adding that its aircraft returned safely.
At the time of filing this report, there was no immediate US military comment.
DAILY POST reports that Houthi-controlled television said on Monday that a US airstrike killed 68 people after striking a detention center for African migrants in Yemen.
Speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity, a US defense official said on Monday that the US military was aware of claims of civilian casualties and was conducting its assessment.
The Houthi-run health ministry said recent US strikes have killed dozens, including 74 at an oil terminal in mid-April, in what was the deadliest strike in Yemen under Trump so far.
Meanwhile, rights advocates have raised concerns about civilian killings.
The US military said over the weekend that it has struck over 800 targets since mid-March, killing numerous Houthi fighters and leaders while destroying the militant group’s facilities.
The Houthis have reportedly taken control of swathes of Yemen over the past decade.
Since November 2023, they have launched attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel.
They said they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel’s war has killed over 52,000 and led to genocide and war crimes accusations that Israel denied.
According to Israel, the latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages.
