As the U.S. continues its combat operations, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on Apr. 30, 2025 that RAF Typhoons conducted new airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
These airstrikes are the first announced combat operations undertaken by the UK against the Houthis since January, and the first since the inauguration of President Trump. RAF Typhoons had previously joined with U.S. operations against the Houthis throughout 2024 flying from their forward base at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey detailed that “intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings 15 miles south of Sanaa used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and in the gulf of Aden.”
He added that the operation involved the use of Paveway IV precision guided bombs, and was supported by Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft. RAF Voyagers have been noted providing refueling support to U.S. Navy aircraft on several occasions during anti-Houthi sorties.
UK forces conducted a joint operation with US allies against a Houthi military facility in Yemen yesterday.
Defence Secretary @JohnHealey_MP explains 👇 pic.twitter.com/KWOQpmu3MQ
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) April 30, 2025
The Houthis are a militant group that currently controls much of western Yemen. They are aligned with and supported by Iran as well as other groups including Hezbollah and Hamas. Although the group’s civil war with the internationally recognized Yemeni government (supported by Saudi Arabia) has mellowed in recent years following extensive diplomatic mediation, the Houthis’ switch of focus to attacking Red Sea shipping has drawn the direct attention of Western armed forces.
Houthi statements have claimed their attacks on shipping are signals of solidarity towards Palestine and Gaza, stating that attacks are focused on Israeli-linked ships. However, evidence has shown that many of the attacks appear to be simply random and have even included hits on Russian associated shipping.
Healey, addressing such claims in the Commons, said “I want to be clear that this Government reject any Houthi claims that attacking ships in the Red Sea is somehow supporting Gaza. The Houthis were targeting tankers and seizing ships well before the war in Gaza began, and their attacks since have targeted vessels of all nations, so hear me when I say that these attacks do absolutely nothing for the Palestinian people or the push for a lasting peace.”
U.S. sorties against the Houthis have intensified in recent months with the arrival of the F-35C Lightning II-equipped USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) carrier strike group, which joins the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in theatre. Additionally, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers have taken an active role for the first time since Oct. 2024, this time operating from the forward base at Diego Garcia rather than directly from home. The U.S. have given this renewed effort the codename Operation Rough Rider, claiming on Apr. 27 that so far over 800 targets had been struck during the mission.
A detachment of Typhoon FGR4s has been based at RAF Akrotiri with the 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) since 2015, when the UK Parliament voted in favour of extending airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq across the border into Syria. The force’s primary role has remained supporting Operation Shader – the UK’s effort against ISIS – although with evolving defence requirements and the overall weakening of ISIS they have assumed additional responsibilities. Along with anti-Houthi strikes, they have also contributed to air policing measures instituted following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and regularly provide RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft with defensive cover over the Black Sea following a 2022 close encounter.
The drawdown of Operation Shader was announced in 2024, and was expected to be completed during 2025, however it is possible that many deployed assets will remain in the region under a new operational name that reflects the additional taskings now placed upon them.
Akrotiri is the most convenient location for forward based aircraft to support all of these taskings from one location, and being UK administered territory likely simplifies diplomatic clearance processes, although for operations against the Houthis it does mean a lengthy 3,000 mile round trip along the Red Sea. The relatively small force of Typhoons and tankers at Akrotiri also means, while aircraft are participating in these long-distance raids, there is little availability for any other taskings.
With the Prince of Wales carrier strike group (CSG) now in the Mediterranean Sea and eventually bound for a Red Sea transit, it is possible that we will see F-35B Lightning IIs from the aircraft carrier join future airstrikes. A similar situation happened in 2021, when F-35Bs from HMS Queen Elizabeth joined Operation Shader as the carrier passed through the region.
(1 of 3) CSG25 passing the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound – April 29, 2025
– HMS Prince of Wales (R09)
– HMS Richmond (F239)
– HMS Dauntless (D33)
SRC: TW-@Gibdan1 pic.twitter.com/hSm98rl41C
— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) April 29, 2025
Carrier-based F-35s will share the advantage utilised by the U.S. Navy in being able to position their floating airfields within an optimal striking distance of intended targets, although this also places the ships at increased risk of attack. We saw a case of this on Apr. 28 when an inbound attack led to the USS Harry S. Truman taking evasive maneuvers, causing an embarked F/A-18E Super Hornet to be lost overboard.
