Washington.- U.S. military forces hit more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen today, striking weapons systems, bases and other equipment belonging to the Iran-backed rebels, U.S. officials confirmed.
Military aircraft and warships bombed Houthi strongholds in approximately five locations, according to the officials.
Houthi news outlets reported that seven strikes hit the airport in Al Hodaydah, a major port city, and the Katheib area, which houses a military base controlled by the Houthis. Four more attacks hit the Seiyana area of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, and two attacks were carried out in Dhamar province. The Houthi media office also reported three airstrikes in Bayda province, southeast of Sana’a.
The attacks come just days after the Houthis threatened to “intensify military operations” against Israel following the apparent downing of a US military drone flying over Yemen. Last week, the group claimed responsibility for an attack on US warships.
The rebels fired more than half a dozen ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles and two drones at three American ships traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but all were intercepted by Navy destroyers, according to several American officials.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.
The Houthis have attacked more than 80 merchant ships with missiles and drones since the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip began in October last year. They have captured one ship and sunk two in this campaign, in which four sailors have also died.
Other missiles and drones have been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or have missed their targets, including Western military vessels.
The group has maintained that its targets are ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom to force an end to the Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
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