US Central Command strikes missile, command facilities in Sana'a to protect maritime security
The US carried out precision airstrikes Saturday that targeted Iran-backed Houthi missile storage and command-and-control facilities in the Yemeni capital, according to the Central Command (CENTCOM).
The strikes aimed "to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations" that threatened US Navy ships and commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden, CENTCOM wrote X.
The operation, involving US Air Force and Navy assets, including F/A-18 fighter jets, also neutralized "multiple Houthi one-way attack" drones and "an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea."
CENTCOM described the strikes as a deliberate measure to degrade Houthi capabilities and safeguard "US and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping."
The US strikes follow a series of Houthi threats and attacks on maritime security in the region.
The Houthis, in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been facing an Israeli genocidal war since Oct. 7, 2023, have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea, with missiles and drones, expressing a determination to continue operations until the end of the onslaught on the enclave.
Since the beginning of 2024, a coalition led by the US has been conducting airstrikes that it said are targeting Houthi locations in parts of Yemen in response to attacks by the group in the Red Sea. The counterattacks have been occasionally met with retaliation from the group.
With the intervention of Washington and London, and an escalation of tensions, the Houthis announced that they consider all American and British ships military targets.
