Biden says Yemen's Houthis are a 'terrorist' group

EMMAUS, Pennsylvania (fdterrorist14) - US President Joe Biden on Jan 12 called Yemen's Houthi forces a "terrorist" group, after American and British warplanes, ships and submarines

launched dozens of air strikes

across Yemen overnight.

Mr Biden said Washington will respond to the Houthis if they continued behaviour that he called "outrageous."

Why it’s important

London and Washington say their strikes in Yemen were in retaliation for

months of attacks by the movement on Red Sea shipping

that the Iran-backed fighters cast as a response to the ongoing war in Gaza.

The strikes represent one of the most dramatic demonstrations to date of the widening of

the Gaza conflict.

Key quotes

"I think they are," Mr Biden told reporters on Jan 12, when he was asked if he was willing to call the Houthis a "terrorist" group.

"We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behaviour along with our allies," he added.

The White House said earlier on Jan 12 that

the United States does not want war with Yemen

but will not hesitate to take further action.

Context

The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed movement that took control of most of Yemen over the past decade, have been attacking shipping at the mouth of the Red Sea - one of the world's busiest trade lanes - since October. The attacks have forced shippers to change course and take longer routes.

The Houthis say their attacks have been a show of support for Palestinians under siege by Israel in Hamas-governed Gaza.

The Gaza conflict followed

an attack on Israel on Oct 7 by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas,

which Israel said killed 1,200 people. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, about 1 per cent of the 2.3 million population there, according to Gaza's health ministry. REUTERS