ISTANBUL

The UK confirmed on Wednesday that Royal Air Force jets took part in a joint airstrike with the US on a Houthi military facility in Yemen, targeting infrastructure used in drone manufacturing.

The British Defense Ministry said RAF Typhoon FGR4s struck a cluster of buildings located about 15 miles south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which intelligence reports identified as a site used to produce drones deployed in recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

"This action is in line with the UK government's long-standing policy to respond to Houthi attacks that began in November 2023, which threaten freedom of navigation and have resulted in the deaths of innocent merchant mariners," the statement read.

The operation was supported by Voyager air refueling tankers, and the airstrike employed Paveway IV precision-guided bombs, according to the statement.

The ministry emphasized that extensive planning was conducted to minimize risks to civilians and civilian infrastructure. The strike was carried out after dark to further reduce such risks.

All RAF aircraft involved in the mission returned safely, the ministry confirmed.