Who are Yemen-based Houthis, attacked by US, UK over Red Sea tensions

Yemen strikes: US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak termed the air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in war-raged Yemen as "acts of self defence"

Yemen strikes updates: The ongoing Middle East tensions further escalated on Thursday following a massive United States-led strike on Yemen's Houthis over their recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis, since November, have been repeatedly targeting international shipping containers in response to the raging Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of more than 23,000 Palestinians.

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak termed the air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in war-raged Yemen as "acts of self-defence" and a bid to protect "freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade."

The retaliation from the West came after Houthis attacked US, UK ships this week, despite the final warning issued last week by the White House and a host of partner nations to cease the attacks.

The Houthis have justified their attacks as a show of support for the Palestinians and Hamas, the militant organisation that governs the Gaza Strip. 

Who are Yemen-based Houthis

The Iran-aligned Houthis of Yemen originated in the late 1990s, first as a religious revival movement by the Houthi family in the far north. The movement was launched for the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam, which once governed Yemen.

Also Read: US, Britain carry out strikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

The group also fought a series of guerrilla wars with Yemen's government at the time and participated in a brief border conflict with Saudi Arabia.

A war broke out in the country in late 2014, which powered the Houthis' further influence. They managed to seize the capital city, Sann'a, which worried the Saudis and the West and triggered their intervention in 2015 in support of the government.

As of now, the rebel organisation controls north and other regions while the internationally recognised government is based in the southern port city of Aden.

Notably, a United Nations led peace push has brought relative calmness in Yemen for more than a year. Saudi Arabia has been holding talks with the Houthis in a bid to exit the war.

Houthis respond to US strikes in Yemen

The Houthis labelled the US-UK strikes "unjustified" while asserting their attacks will not on ships heading towards Israel would not stop.

Meanwhile, Russia on Friday, sought an urgent Security Council meeting to discuss the strikes, pointing towards a further dramatic escalation of the crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)