US launches new airstrikes targeting Houthi's weapons storage facilities in Yemen
PTC News Desk: The US military has conducted airstrikes on various weapons storage facilities in Yemen, according to Pentagon. In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers participated in an operation to carry out "precision strikes" on five underground weapons storage sites in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis.
"U.S. 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. Lloyd said he authorized the strikes at the direction of President Biden.
U.S. Central Command stated that the B-2 bomber strikes showcased America's global strike capabilities, asserting that it can target locations whenever and wherever necessary.
This operation is part of a series of U.S. airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in response to their missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Earlier this month, CENTCOM reported that U.S. forces targeted 15 sites associated with Houthi military operations.
Since mid-January, the U.S., U.K., and their allies have carried out multiple coordinated strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched numerous missile and drone attacks on both commercial and military ships in the Red Sea, which they claim is a reaction to the Israel-Hamas conflict. These attacks have resulted in significant global supply chain disruptions. The Houthis have sunk two commercial vessels and carried out a missile attack in March that killed three individuals on a Liberian-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden. Additionally, Houthi militants hijacked an Israeli-linked cargo ship last November, taking its crew hostage.
- With inputs from agencies
