Yemen’s capital Sanaa, Saada city hit by US air strikes: Reports
Yemen’s Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV has reported air strikes on the capital Sanaa and the city of Saada while US outlet ABC News said that the US military attacked weapons storage facilities in the country overnight.
“US Central Command forces conducted multiple air strikes on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” ABC News reports, citing a US defence official.
Al Masirah TV said the attack was carried out by US and UK forces.
US military says underground weapons facilities attacked in Yemen
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that it struck multiple sites in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, hours after Yemen’s Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported attacks on the capital Sanaa and the city of Saada.
“These actions were taken to degrade the Houthi’s capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on international commercial shipping and on the US coalition, and merchant personnel and vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden,” CENTCOM said in a statement shared on X.
The statement said the US attacked “hardened underground facilities housing missiles” and other weapons.
“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,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a new statement.
B-2 bombers conducted precision strikes against five underground weapons storage locations, Austin said, adding that use of the long-range stealth bomber demonstrates “US global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere”.
The US and UK have repeatedly carried out strikes aimed at curbing the Iran-backed group’s ability to target shipping, but the rebels have continued to attack merchant vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“At the direction of President Biden, I authorized these targeted strikes to further degrade the Houthis’ capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend US forces and personnel in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” Austin said.
The Houthis, part of the “axis of resistance” of Iran-linked groups, have targeted ships they say have connections to Israel since November, in what they describe as support for Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war.
Houthis promise response to US attack
Yemen’s Houthis have promised to retaliate after the US conducted multiple strikes on weapons storage facilities in areas controlled by the group. “We confirm that the American aggression will not pass without a response,” said a statement from the Houthis’ political bureau.
Earlier, the US announced its B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers targeted the facilities that “demonstrate US global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
