Four US officials told Reuters the strikes had begun. Yemeni press agency, SABA reported attacks took place in the capital, Sana'a, and the governorates of Sa'dah, Hodeidah, Taiz, and Dhamar.

Three explosions were heard in the country's capital of Sana'a, according to eyewitnesses.

US officials said the strikes had been carried out by warship-launched Tomahawk missiles, as well as fighter jets and a submarine.

Nasr Aldeen Amer, vice president of the Houthi media authority in Sana'a hit out at what he called 'a brutal aggression against our country' by America.

"They will pay absolutely and without hesitation, and we will not back down from our position in supporting the Palestinian people, whatever the cost," he said.

Houthi official Abdulsalam Jahaf also wrote on social media that "America, Britain and Israel are launching raids".

"We will discipline them God willing," he added.

The strikes came after Grant Shapps, the UK defence secretary, accused Iran of meddling and declared "enough is enough" in an escalating crisis that could ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East.

Overnight on Tuesday, a Royal Navy warship shot down seven drones in an operation with US naval vessels and jets to repel the largest Houthi drone and missile attack to date.

Middle East crisis - latest: US and UK 'launch strikes against Houthi targets'

The UK, US and other states issued a warning to the group a week ago to end the targeting of commercial shipping or "bear the responsibility of the consequences".

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