Washington (diplomat.so) - The U.S. military carried out airstrikes on more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, targeting weapons systems, bases, and equipment belonging to the Iranian-backed rebel group. According to U.S. officials, military aircraft and warships were involved in the operation, hitting five key Houthi strongholds across the country.
Houthi media reported that seven of the strikes hit the airport in Hodeida, a major port city under Houthi control, and the Katheib area, which houses a military base. Four other strikes targeted Seiyana in the capital city of Sanaa, while two hit Dhamar province. Additional air raids were reported in the Bayda province, southeast of Sanaa, as the Houthi media office claimed three more strikes there.
These attacks come on the heels of the Houthis' recent threats to launch "escalating military operations" against Israel. Just last week, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on U.S. warships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, launching multiple ballistic and anti-ship cruise missiles, as well as drones, though the U.S. Navy intercepted all projectiles.
The Houthis have increasingly targeted merchant and military vessels since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza last October. Over 80 merchant ships have been attacked by missiles and drones, with several vessels seized or sunk. Despite their claims of targeting Israeli, U.S., or U.K.-linked vessels, some of the attacked ships had no connection to the conflict, including those bound for Iran.
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