By JON GAMBRELL
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. long-range B-2 stealth bombers launched airstrikes early Thursday morning on underground bunkers used by The Houthi rebels in Yemenofficials said.
It was not immediately clear what damage was caused by the strikes.
However, there have been no previous reports that the B-2 Spirit has been used in the attacks against the Houthis, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea corridor for months. the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel reported airstrikes around Yemen’s capital Sanaa, which the group has been carrying out since 2014. They also reported attacks around the Houthi stronghold of Saada. They offered no direct information about damage or casualties.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the B-2 bombers targeted “five hardened underground weapons storage sites in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.”
The strike also appeared to be an indirect warning to Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor targeted Israel with ballistic missile attacks twice in the past year. The B-2 would be used in any type US attack on hardened Iranian nuclear facilities such as Natanz or Fordo, as this is the only aircraft in service that has the GBU-57, known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator.”
“This was a unique demonstration of the United States’ ability to target facilities that our adversaries are trying to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply underground, hardened or fortified,” Austin said.
Austin and the U.S. Army’s Central Command made no immediate assessment of the damage done. However, Central Command said in a statement that initial assessments suggested no civilians had been killed.
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.
Houthis have attacked more than 80 merchant ships with missiles and drones since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. one ship seized And two sunk in the campaign in which four sailors also died. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, including Western military vessels.
The rebels claim they are targeting ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to end Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis also continue to launch rockets aimed at Israel and have shot down a number of them US military MQ-9 Reaper drones. The rebels have threatened new attacks in response Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon and are assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
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