The US military has struck Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen, ABC News reported on Wednesday, citing US officials. "US Central Command forces conducted multiple airstrikes on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," a US defence official said, according to ABC News.
Later in a statement, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a statement, said that the United States conducted precision strikes on Wednesday against five underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. "US forces targeted several of the Houthis' underground facilities housing various weapons components of types that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region," Austin said.
It said the US military used long-range B-2 stealth bombers to launch airstrikes. It wasn't immediately clear what damage was done in the strikes.
However, it is incredibly rare for the B-2 Spirit to be used in the strikes targeting the Houthis, who have been attacking ships for months in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel reported airstrikes around Yemen's capital, Sanaa, which the group has held since 2014. They also reported strikes around the Houthi stronghold of Saada. They offered no immediate information on damage or casualties. The strike also appeared to be an indirect warning to Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor who have twice targeted Israel with ballistic missile attacks over the last year.
“This was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified,” Austin said.
The Red Sea has become a battlefield for shippers since the Houthis began their campaign targeting ships travelling through the waterway, which once saw $1 trillion a year of cargo pass through it.
Houthis have targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started last October. They have seized one vessel and sunk two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors.
Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis also continue to launch missiles targeting Israel and have shot down a number of US military MQ-9 Reaper drones as well. The rebels have threatened new attacks after Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon and its killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
(With inputs from agencies)
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