A B-2 Spirit prepares to be refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker during a nighttime aerial refueling mission over Southern Kansas, Oct. 21, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota)
B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers and other assets of the United States Air Force and Navy carried out on October 17 a series of strikes against alleged weapons storage facilities in areas controlled by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen.
“Today, U.S. military forces, including U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, conducted precision strikes against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. U.S. 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,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a statement released by the Pentagon.
The Secretary of Defense noted that the strikes were launched at the direction of President Joe Bide to “further degrade the Houthis’ capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”
“Again, the United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks,” Austin added.
In a separate statement, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the strikes targeted hardened underground facilities of the Houthis, where missiles, weapons components, and other munitions used to target military and civilian vessels throughout the region were stored.
“U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers, were part of the operation. The employment of the B-2 bomber demonstrates U.S. global strike capabilities to reach these targets, when necessary, anytime, anywhere,” the command added.
The CENTCOM also stated that battle damage assessments were underway with no indications of any civilian casualties in the strikes.
Yemen’s Al-Masirah TV, which is run by the Houthis, reported that a total of 15 strikes had hit the capital Sanaa and the northern province of Saada.
Six strikes hit the areas of al-Telefeen, al-Hafaa, and Jarban, to the north and south of the capital. In Saada, nine strikes targeted the areas of Kahlan and al-Abla, to the east of the province center. No casualties were reported by the news channel.
Since November, the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have attacked dozens of vessels affiliated with Israel or owned by the U.S. and the United Kingdom in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea in response to the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.
The group also launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel and shot down at least eleven American-made combat drones over Yemen and nearby waters.
The U.S. and the UK have carried out hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen since January. Israel also launched two waves of strikes against civilian infrastructure in al-Hodeidah in July and September. However, the aerial campaign failed to deter the Houthis or degrade their capabilities.
The employment of B-2 bombers in the latest wave of U.S. strikes on Yemen was likely meant as a message to Iran which is currently bracing for an Israeli strike in retaliation to the October 1 missile attack.
Austin even said in his statement after the strikes that the employment of the advanced bombers “demonstrates U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere.”
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