The United States Navy and Air Force have carried out a series of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The strikes targeted a command-and-control facility of the Iran-backed militants, weapon depots, and an air defense system, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) of the Armed Forces reports.
According to the US military, the precision strikes were conducted on December 30 and 31, 2024.
CENTCOM stated that US Navy ships and aircraft attacked a Houthi command-and-control facility, as well as the sites for the production and storage of advanced conventional weapons, including missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“These facilities were used in Houthi operations, such as attacks against US Navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” the US Central Command reported.
In addition, the US side informed that Navy and Air Force aircraft “destroyed a Houthi coastal radar site and seven cruise missiles and one-way attack UAVs (kamikaze drones – ed.) over the Red Sea.” There were no injuries among US military personnel or damage to equipment in both cases.
CENTCOM added that these strikes are “part of efforts” to degrade the capabilities of Iran-backed Houthis to threaten regional partners and military and commercial vessels in the area.
US strikes on Houthi military facilities in Yemen
The US frequently reports on the elimination of drones, missiles, and other weaponry used by Yemen’s Houthis. Such actions are undertaken by the Western coalition (US, UK, and allies) due to militant attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
However, Yemen’s Houthis not only target commercial ships and tankers but also attack Western military vessels and launch missile strikes on Israeli territory.
For instance, it was previously reported that US Central Command confirmed airstrikes on Yemen on December 21. The US clarified that the targets were a missile depot and a command center under the militants’ control. This occurred just hours after the Houthis launched an attack on Tel Aviv, Israel.
In mid-November, US forces also targeted Houthi weapon depots in Yemen. A similar strike occurred on November 9, when the US military carried out airstrikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen. Weapon depots used by militants to attack ships near the country’s coast were destroyed during that operation as well.
Furthermore, the report indicated that in November, Yemen’s Houthis fired two ballistic missiles at the USS Mason ship, which was involved in the rescue of a seized tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
