US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House
US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House AFP

President Joe Biden said Thursday that US and British military strikes against Yemen's Huthis would continue, because the Iran-backed rebels were still attacking shipping in the Red Sea.

"When you say 'working, are they stopping the Huthi?' No. Are they going to continue? Yes," Biden told reporters at the White House when asked if the strikes were working.

The United States has launched several rounds of air strikes against Huthi targets, including missile and drone facilities, since an initial barrage by US and British forces hit targets in Yemen last Friday.

But the Huthis have continued to strike international shipping in attacks they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, most recently striking a US-owned bulk cargo carrier.

Washington re-designated the Huthis as a "terrorist group" on Wednesday and carried out strikes on 14 Huthi missiles later the same day.

The US and British strikes on Yemen have raised fears of a further escalation in tensions in the region following Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel and Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza.