That is an October 2019 picture of a B-2 stealth bomber flying over a NASCAR Cup Sequence in Kansas Metropolis, Kansas. B-2 bombers of the US just like this stealth plane launched airstrikes towards bunkers of Houthi rebels in Yemen. | Picture by Brian Lawdermilk /Getty Photos through AFP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. long-range B-2 stealth bombers launched airstrikes early Thursday morning focusing on underground bunkers utilized by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, officers mentioned.
It wasn’t instantly clear what harm was completed within the strikes.
Nevertheless, there are not any earlier experiences of the B-2 Spirit getting used within the strikes focusing on the Houthis, who’ve been attacking ships for months within the Purple Sea hall over the Israel-Hamas warfare within the Gaza Strip.
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The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite tv for pc information channel reported airstrikes round Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which the group has held since 2014. In addition they reported strikes across the Houthi stronghold of Saada. They provided no instant info on harm or casualties.
U.S. Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned in an announcement that the B-2 bombers focused “5 hardened underground weapons storage places in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.”
The strike additionally seemed to be an oblique warning to Iran, the Houthis’ principal benefactor, which has focused Israel with ballistic missile assaults twice over the previous yr. The B-2 can be utilized in any American assault on hardened Iranian nuclear amenities like Natanz or Fordo given it’s the solely plane in service that may drop the GBU-57, often called the “Huge Ordnance Penetrator.”
“This was a singular demonstration of the US’ means to focus on amenities that our adversaries search to maintain out of attain, irrespective of how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified,” Austin mentioned.
Austin and the U.S. navy’s Central Command provided no instant evaluation on the harm completed. Nevertheless, Central Command mentioned in an announcement that preliminary assessments urged no civilians had been killed.
READ MORE: Yemen’s Houthis declare two ship assaults
The Purple Sea has turn out to be a battlefield for shippers for the reason that Houthis started their marketing campaign focusing on ships touring by means of the waterway, which as soon as noticed $1 trillion of cargo cross by means of it yearly.
Houthis have focused greater than 80 service provider vessels with missiles and drones for the reason that warfare in Gaza began in October 2023. They’ve seized one vessel and sunk two within the marketing campaign that has additionally killed 4 sailors. Different missiles and drones have both been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition within the Purple Sea or failed to succeed in their targets, which have included Western navy vessels.
The rebels keep that they aim ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the UK to power an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign towards Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, most of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some sure for Iran.
The Houthis additionally proceed to launch missiles focusing on Israel and have shot down a variety of U.S. navy MQ-9 Reaper drones. The rebels have threatened new assaults in response to Israel’s floor invasion of Lebanon and its killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
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