The United States and Britain on Thursday launched the first multinational strikes against targets linked to the Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen since the group began attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea late last year.

According to The Associated Press, citing multiple U.S. officials, fighter jets, ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles bombed more than ten locations including the group's supply hubs, air defense system and arms storage.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war last October, the Iran-backed Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have conducted around 30 missile and drone attacks on Red Sea shipping routes in support of Hamas.

With the attacks disrupting international commerce, more than 20 countries agreed last month to participate in a U.S.-led coalition known as "Operation Prosperity Guardian" to safeguard commercial traffic in the Red Sea.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. and the U.K., with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands and others, successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets used by Houthi rebels in Yemen to endanger the freedom of navigation in a globally vital waterway.

Biden said the 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.