The U.S. launched a new round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen after the Houthis struck a U.S. owned and operated commercial ship on Wednesday.
I know Houthis have their motivations and shit is complicated but when you mess with civilian ships you mess with the economy. The US doesn't like that. When you mess with US civilian ships they really don't like that. About the only thing worse is attacking the US Navy directly.
I guess my point is firing at US related anything in a shipping lane has got to be one the fastest ways to get explosives delivered to your location.
Messing with shipping is an act of war, plain and simple. The US had no choice but to respond. What are they supposed to do? Allow people to take pot shots? That sets a very bad precedent.
This being said, the Saudis have been bombing Yemen for almost a decade. The US really isn't going to achieve anything significant with a limited amount of bombings. And they obviously know that. This is simply a proportional and primarily symbolic response, mainly meant to warn others that there's a cost to fucking with the US.