WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin worked from his hospital bed as American and UK forces readied for strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the White House said Friday.
Austin has been hospitalized since 1 January for complications from prostate cancer treatment, but did not inform the White House or Congress for several days after he was admitted, sparking demands for him to leave office and raising questions about how important a role he is playing on national security issues.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Austin was fully engaged even from his hospital bed. He was involved actively and intimately all day yesterday with the national security team at the White House and of course with the commander-in-chief, with President Biden, according to AFP.
Kirby said that the president has made it clear that Secretary Austin is his defense secretary and he will remain on his post. He has full faith and confidence in in Austin and his leadership.
The spokesman added that leadership was on display to everybody in the national security team as Austin in a hospital bed still leading and commanding the US forces in some dangerous missions here.
The Houthis have carried out a growing number of drone and missile attacks on the important international route through the Red Sea since the Gaza war started with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel.
US, British forces carry attacks in Yemen
The rebels ignored a warning from the United States and other countries last week of consequences if they did not halt the attacks, and Washington and London’s troops carried out strikes against dozens of targets in Yemen overnight.
