There is a long standing policy directive underlying these attacks, and it is in addition to retaliation for the direct attack on one of our land bases.
Since WWII, our national policy has been to insure free trade on the open seas. The Houthi attacks aren't 'military action' in the traditional sense, in that they are indiscriminately attacking shipping with only minimal attention to the flags and allegiances of the ships. Shipping needs this to cease, end of story, and that in and of itself is justification for leveling their misused military capability.
One might be able to fool around with Mother Navy just so much, but fuck with it, and they'll end up in a ditch, holding their groin.