The United States and British militaries launched retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday.

Footage shows jets being deployed to bomb the Houthi targets 'to degrade their capability to continue their illegal and reckless attacks on U.S. and international vessels and commercial shipping in the Red Sea' on January 11.

The joint military response came following persistent attacks on commercial ships traversing the Red Sea shipping lanes since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of the US Central Command, said in a statement: 'We hold the Houthi militants and their destabilizing Iranian sponsors responsible for the illegal, indiscriminate, and reckless attacks on international shipping that have impacted 55 nations so far, including endangering the lives of hundreds of mariners, including the United States.

'Their illegal and dangerous actions will not be tolerated, and they will be held accountable.'

U.S. President Joe Biden said: 'These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history.

'I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.'