Reports from Houthi-affiliated media in Yemen indicate that waves of U.S. and British airstrikes targeted the country early Thursday morning. The media reported that nine airstrikes struck multiple areas in and around the capital, Sanaa, as well as in the Khelan and Aila regions east of Saada city.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed that American air forces executed precise strikes on five underground weapons storage sites controlled by Houthi forces in Yemen. He stated that the strikes aimed to destroy facilities that the Houthis had used to target vessels, emphasizing that Washington will not hesitate to take action to deter Houthi attacks and protect freedom of navigation.
Austin explained that these strikes were conducted with the approval of President Joe Biden and involved B-2 bombers, which are significantly larger than the fighter jets previously used against the group’s facilities. The B-2 bombers can carry a much heavier payload of bombs, showcasing the U.S. capability to target installations that adversaries attempt to conceal, regardless of their depth underground or level of fortification.
In response, Houthi media spokesperson Nasr al-Din Amer warned that the U.S. would pay for its aggression, reaffirming their solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for U.S. forces operating in the Middle East, released a statement confirming that there were no initial indications of civilian casualties resulting from the airstrikes on Houthi positions on Wednesday.
In solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing a campaign of mass extermination since October 7, 2023, the Houthi group has been targeting Israeli and affiliated shipping vessels in the Red Sea with missiles and drones since November.
In retaliation for these attacks, Washington and London have initiated airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen since the beginning of this year. In response, the Houthis announced that they now consider all American and British vessels as military targets, expanding their operations to include ships passing through the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean or any locations accessible to their weapons.
