Oct. 5 (UPI) — The United States and Britain conducted joint naval and air strikes against 15 Houthi targets in Yemen.

The joint operation Friday targeted Houthi offensive capabilities after the militant group targeted more than 100 ships, sank two and hijacked another in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in support of Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

U.S. and British warships and aircraft targeted military outposts, including five Houthi compounds, and at least one airport in Yemen.

U.S. Central Command controls U.S. forces and military operations in the Middle East and said the strikes occurred at 5 p.m. local time.

“These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safe and more secure for U.S., coalition and merchant vessels,” Central Command officials posted on X.

The joint operations struck an airport in the port city of Hodeida, a Houthi-controlled military base in the Katheib area, the Seiyana area near Sanaa and the Dhamar province, Houthi media reported.

The strikes occurred after Houthis earlier in the week threatened to escalate military operations against Israel and recently attacked U.S. warships.

The Houthis launched less than a dozen ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and two drones against three U.S. ships sailing through the Babel-Madeb Strait, which U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted and destroyed.

The Houthis shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen on Monday, which the U.S. acknowledged.

The Houthis are an Iranian-backed militant force and began targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November in support of Hamas in its war on Israel.