US Conducts Strategic Strikes in Yemen Targeting Houthi Facilities
The United States executed a series of airstrikes in Yemen aimed at Iran-backed Houthi positions on Wednesday evening, as announced by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The operation utilized B-2 stealth bombers to target five subterranean weapons depots.
According to US defense officials who spoke to CNN after the assaults, these facilities were storing advanced conventional arms used for attacks on both military and civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In a statement, Austin articulated, “This operation was a distinct demonstration of the United States’ capacity to strike facilities that adversaries attempt to render inaccessible, irrespective of how deeply they are entrenched or fortified.”
Advanced Military Capabilities Demonstrated
The deployment involved B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers and underscored the US’s global strike abilities to engage necessary targets at any time, anywhere. This represented the first instance of the US employing the strategic stealth bomber against the Houthis in Yemen since the US intervention began. The B-2 bomber is a much larger craft compared to the fighter jets previously used against Houthi facilities and arsenals, capable of delivering a considerably larger payload of ordnance.
Authorized as per directives from President Joe Biden, Austin stated the strikes were intended to significantly undermine the Houthis’ capacities after over a year of assaults by the group on both US and international vessels in the area. The targeted facilities contained various components used in weapons aimed at ships in the Middle East, as Austin noted.
“We will continue to reinforce to the Houthis that there will be repercussions for their unlawful and reckless strikes,” Austin stated.
Houthi Response and Regional Implications
The airstrikes impacted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and the city of Saada during the early hours of Thursday local time, according to Al Masirah TV, a Houthi-controlled outlet, as cited by Reuters. Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the media office for the Houthis, stated on platform X, “America will incur consequences for its aggression on Yemen, and, as conveyed before, this aggression will not deter Yemen from its support for Gaza.”
The Houthis have persistently attacked vessels in the Red Sea, among the world’s busiest maritime routes, framing such actions as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza against Hamas. The Houthis, along with Hamas and Hezbollah, are part of an Iran-led coalition extending across Yemen, Syria, Gaza, and Iraq, all of which have been active against Israel and its allies since the onset of the conflict. They assert that they will persist in their strikes until there is a ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian enclave.
Continuing Tensions in the Region
This strike on Houthi forces occurred amid heightened tensions in the region. Israel is anticipated to respond to Iran’s recent missile attacks prior to the US elections on November 5. Simultaneously, Israel’s engagements with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza are ongoing. The strike conducted on Wednesday, which occurred early Thursday local time, is the latest development in a prolonged exchange of attacks between the Houthis and the US, as the Houthis have continuously targeted commercial shipping and US Navy assets in the area for months.
This strike follows the deployment of a sophisticated anti-missile system by the US to help safeguard Israel following Iran’s missile assaults. While previous US actions against the Houthis were done in collaboration with the UK, the recent operation was solely executed by the US. US Central Command confirmed the involvement of both US Air Force and Navy resources in this mission.
Actions against Constant Houthi Threats
Over the past year, the US has consistently engaged Houthi drones and missiles to protect shipping and to diminish the Houthi military capabilities. In September, the Houthis claimed the launch of approximately two dozen ballistic and cruise missiles, alongside drones, targeting three US destroyers. Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh mentioned that at no point did these missiles or drones impact a US ship.
“I can confirm no US vessels were struck or damaged. There were no injuries to US personnel. We observed a sophisticated attack from the Houthis comprising cruise missiles and UAVs,” Singh stated. “As understood, they were either intercepted and downed or failed.”
Earlier this month, the US undertook strikes on 15 Houthi locations in Yemen, addressing “Houthi offensive military capabilities,” US Central Command reported. In September, the Houthis launched a missile into Israel, though Israel’s defense forces assessed that it most likely broke apart mid-air, falling into an uninhabited area with no injuries.
Ongoing Houthi Engagements
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in September that the Houthis would face severe repercussions for their attack. Subsequently, Israeli Defense Forces targeted power plants and a seaport in air raids against the Houthis. The Houthis have since continued their assaults on Israel, announcing on October 1 that they launched drones in support of Hezbollah and fired two missiles with multiple drones into Israel on October 7. The Israeli military detailed that during the latter attack, a surface-to-air missile fired from Yemen destined for central Israel was intercepted.
The persistent Houthi aggression on commercial shipping has resulted in fatalities among mariners and significant environmental challenges. Notably, an assault on a Greek-flagged vessel in August led to a blaze and oil spillage; the Pentagon at the time highlighted the potential for an “environmental disaster.”
The US maintains a formidable military presence in the region, initiated following Hamas’ incursion into Israel last October. CNN previously reported this month that the American military forces comprise a carrier strike group, numerous guided missile destroyers, an amphibious ready group alongside a marine expeditionary unit, and a diverse array of aircraft including fighter and attack planes.
This report has been updated with further information.
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