The strikes by American and British military on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen were defensive and aimed at preserving freedom of navigation on one of the world’s most crucial waterways, reports Reuters. “Houthi forces are supported, supplied and equipped by Iran. So Tehran has a special responsibility to rein in its proxies,” stated a NATO representative. He noted that the North Atlantic Alliance did not participate in the strikes, but the United States and the United Kingdom are NATO members, and two other NATO members, the Netherlands and Canada, provided support. U.S. and allied strikes…