WASHINGTON, USA: The United States military has carried out precision airstrikes on Houthi-controlled underground weapons storage sites in Yemen, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The strikes, conducted by US Air Force B-2 bombers, targeted five hardened underground facilities used by the Houthis to store weapons components. These weapons were used in attacks on civilian and military vessels, disrupting international trade in the Red Sea.
Austin emphasized the strikes as a demonstration of the US’s global strike capabilities and its commitment to defending its forces and personnel in critical waterways.
The Houthis, have launched more than 100 missile and drone attacks on ships since the start of the Gaza conflict. While claiming to support Palestinians, the Houthis have also attacked vessels with no connection to the war. The US airstrikes come amid growing concerns that Yemen could be further drawn into the broader Middle East conflict, as warned by UN special envoy Hans Grundberg.
