No instant details on casualties as Houthi-affiliated media reports airstrikes near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and Saada.
The United States military has flung airstrikes on targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. On Wednesday, US Air Force B-2 stealth bombers carried out “precision strikes” on five underground weapons storage sites.
These strikes targeted fortified underground amenities used by the Houthis to store components of weapons used in attacks on both civilian and military vessels, Austin explained. He stressed the operation’s significance, saying, “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 added that the use of B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrated the US’s global strike capabilities to act against threats “anytime, anywhere.”
In response, the Houthis swore retaliation. In a statement released Thursday, the group’s political bureau stated, “We confirm that the American aggression will not pass without a response.” Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported airstrikes in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and in Saada, their stronghold, though no instant details on casualties or damage were provided.
Since November, the Houthis, aligned with Iran, have launched attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandeb Strait as part of what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has caused in over 42,000 deaths. However, the group has also targeted unconnected commercial vessels.
Amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the Houthis have demanded that Israel halt its offensive in Lebanon. Last month, the group claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks on the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, as well as on three US Navy warships.
Austin stressed that Houthi attacks continued to disturb global trade, prompting the strikes to “degrade their capability” and to “protect and defend US forces and personnel” in critical international waters.
A US Central Command declaration confirmed that there were no civilian casualties, based on initial damage assessments. This marks the first recorded example of B-2 bombers being used in operations against the Houthis.
The B-2, a nuclear-capable stealth bomber, was first used in fight in the 1999 Kosovo war and has since seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. Valued at roughly $1 billion per aircraft, B-2s are rarely used in combat missions. According to Bloomberg, the bombers launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, marking the first war mission for the aircraft since January 2017.
Each B-2 is accomplished of carrying up to 20 tons of bombs, including 80 GPS-guided 500-pound (227-kg) munitions.
The strikes followed a warning from UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, who warned that the country risked further entanglement in the escalating Middle East conflict. Grundbergarticulated concern that while Yemenis “yearn” for peace, hopes for de-escalation in the region remain distant, casting a shadow over their future amid the growing regional violence.