US strikes Houthi command and control facility in Yemen

The US military on Tuesday said it bombed a Houthi military facility in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, the latest US-led attack on the Iranian-backed rebels.

MENA

2 min read

�� Staff & Agencies

17 December, 2024

Supporters of Yemen's Houthi movement brandish weapons and chant slogans as they take part in a protest, staged against Israel's war on Gaza and aerial attacks on Syria, on December 13, 2024, in Sana'a, Yemen

U.S. Central Command said the strike late Monday targeted a key command and control facility that was “a hub for coordinating Houthi operations,” including attacks on U.S. Navy and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. [Getty]

American forces carried out an air strike on Monday against a Houthi command and control facility that was used by the Yemeni rebels to coordinate attacks, the US military said.

The Houthis began striking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November 2023, part of the region-wide fallout from Israel's devastating war in Gaza, which groups in multiple countries have cited as justification for attacks.

"The targeted facility was a hub for coordinating Huthi operations, such as attacks against US Navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

"The strike reflects CENTCOM's ongoing commitment to protect US and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping," it added.

The Yemeni rebels say their attacks -- a significant international security challenge that threatens a major shipping lane -- are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Anger over Israel's ongoing military campaign in the small coastal territory, since October 7, 2023, has stoked violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

The United States and other countries have deployed military vessels to help shield shipping from the Houthi strikes, and the rebels have periodically launched attacks targeting American military ships.

Washington's forces have also carried out frequent air strikes on the Houthis in a bid to degrade their ability to target shipping and have sought to seize weapons before they reach the rebels, but their attacks have persisted.