AMN/ WEB DESK
The US Central Command announced on social media that its forces conducted precision airstrikes last night on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control centre operated by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group in Sanaa.
Additionally, US forces intercepted multiple Houthi one-way attack drones and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea. The strikes followed a ballistic missile attack claimed by the Houthis on central Israel, which injured at least 20 people in Tel Aviv.
In a related incident, a US F/A-18 fighter jet was accidentally downed by friendly fire over the Red Sea during the airstrikes. Both Navy pilots were rescued, with one sustaining minor injuries.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have intensified rocket and drone attacks on Israeli cities and disrupted Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea. In response, the US-British navy coalition has been conducting regular air raids on Houthi targets since January to deter the group.
Notably, the Houthis are a rare example of a non-state actor with capabilities resembling a full-spectrum military force, including naval, ground, and aerial capabilities.