Yemen is an Arab state with immense strategic importance, entirely due to its close position along international trade that flows through the nearby Gulf of Aden. This country has also been, for much of modern history, riddled with civil wars and infighting. The most recent round of fighting is an insurgency conducted by the northern Houthi tribes, fueled by Iranian material support, against the internationally recognized Yemeni government in the South.
The Houthis have made headlines all over the world with their attacks on international shipping going through the Gulf of Aden, heading towards the Suez canal. Their relentless campaign of piracy in the Gulf has led to an unprecedented concentration of military force by the United States, United Kingdom, and EU member states as a means to deter further attacks. This fleet of naval vessels has, since their deployment, been the target of repeated anti-ship missile attacks from positions in Yemen.
Unwilling to tolerate the direct threat to the lives of American and British sailors, their respective governments have now proceeded with targeted strikes on several positions in Yemen from which the Houthis have fired. The back and forth remains ongoing, with Houthi attacks and pre-emptive strikes from Western countries continuing to be a feature in the skies every night above Yemen and the Gulf of Aden.
