US B-2 stealth bombers targeted Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen on Thursday morning, according to the Pentagon.
The U.S. Air Force’s B-2 strategic bombers carried out precision strikes on “several Houthis underground facilities housing various weapon components of the type that the Houthis have used to attack civilian and military vessels throughout the region,” the U.S. Air Force said. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd. Austin said in a statement.
The Houthi-run Al Masirah television network reported 15 attacks at dawn local time on Thursday in locations north and south of the capital Sanaa, as well as further north in Saada Governorate, a Houthi stronghold.
B-2 bombers carried out strikes on five underground weapons storage sites, Austin said, adding that the use of the long-range stealth bomber demonstrates “America’s global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, at any time and everywhere.’
The U.S. Air Force added: “The Houthis’ illegal attacks continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce, threaten environmental disaster, and endanger the lives of innocent civilians and the lives of U.S. and partner military forces.”
US long-range B-2 stealth bombers launched 17 airstrikes in early October, targeting underground bunkers used by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Pictured: A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber takes off from a Royal Australian Air Force base in Amberley, Australia, September 11, 2024
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have forced major shipping companies to avoid the waterway, impacting international trade. Pictured: Houthi rebel fighters march during a rally in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against US attacks on Yemen outside Sanaa on January 22, 2024
In addition to direct attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the Houthis have fired several missiles and drones directly at Israel. Pictured: Houthi fighters ride in a truck patrol during a mass funeral of 29 slain Houthi fighters killed during recent fighting against Saudi Arabia-backed government forces, in Sana’a, Yemen, January 10, 2022
According to a report by Bloomberg, the B-2s flew to their targets from Whiteman Air Force Base in the US state of Missouri.
Each B-2 can carry up to 20 tons of bombs, including 227 kg of GPS-guided munitions, the report said.
Over the past year, the US Air Force and British RAF have carried out multiple strikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, but the rebels have continued to attack merchant ships sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Since last November, the Houthis have launched attacks on about 100 ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sinking two ships.
The Red Sea has become a battleground for shippers since the Houthis began their campaign against ships traveling through the waterway, which once passed through $1 trillion in cargo annually.
The Houthis, part of the “axis of resistance” of Iran-linked groups, have since November targeted ships they say have links to Israel in what they describe as support for the Palestinians during the war between Israel and Hamas .
The attacks severely disrupted a route that carries 12 percent of world trade, prompting retaliations by the United States and Britain that began in January.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said on social media that there was no initial indication of civilian casualties during Wednesday’s mission.
The US Air Force and US Navy were said to have been deployed in the operation, which also saw the use of long-range stealth bombers.
B-2 bombers (photo) carried out attacks on five underground weapons storage sites. File photo
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have forced major shipping companies to avoid the waterway, impacting international trade.
“At President Biden’s direction, I authorized these targeted strikes to further reduce the Houthis’ ability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend U.S. troops and personnel in one of the world’s most critical waterways Austin said.
He added that the US would “continue to make it clear” to the Houthis that there would be “consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks.”
Mohammed al-Basha, a US-based security analyst on Yemen and the Middle East, said the use of B-2 bombers indicated Washington was taking “a firmer stance” against the Houthis.
“This operation marks a shift in US policy, signaling a stronger stance against the group’s destabilizing behavior as Washington intensifies efforts to downgrade their military capabilities,” Basha said.
In September, the Pentagon said the Houthis had launched a “complex attack” on US naval vessels in the region, although all weapons had been shot down.
There have been no previous reports of the B-2 Spirit being used in attacks against the Houthis.
New Houthi recruits ride in a vehicle during a parade against the United States and Israel, in Sana’a, Yemen, February 7, 2024
The nuclear-capable B-2 was first used in 1999 during the Kosovo War and has since been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. I
It is rarely used by the US military in combat as each aircraft is worth approximately $1 billion.
In addition to direct attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the Houthis have fired several missiles and drones directly at Israel.
In July, a drone launched from Yemen struck Tel Aviv, killing one person and injuring 10.
The following month, the rebel group launched several rockets at Israel, including one that targeted Israel’s main airport.
Both times, Israel responded by attacking locations in Yemen, and earlier this year the US, UK and twelve other countries launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect Red Sea shipping lanes from the Houthis.