US airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, killing at least one person and injuring four others. The strikes targeted areas controlled by the Houthi rebels, including the capital, Sanaa, and the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada.
The US military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthi rebels. The full extent of the damage and possible casualties was not immediately clear.
The airstrikes follow a night of intense strikes on Friday, which appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began on March 15. The US has expanded its operation from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities.
Satellite photos show a mysterious airstrip just off Yemen’s coast, ready for flights and B-2 bombers within striking distance of the country. This comes after the US releases video of one bombing, which targeted a site in Yemen.
The strikes have raised tensions with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two American allies in the region, as they threaten to target both countries over the US strikes. The Houthis had previously threatened to target Israeli ships again after Israel blocked aid entering the Gaza Strip.
US aircraft are now deployed to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where at least four long-range stealth B-2 bombers are stationed. This move aims to avoid using allies’ Mideast bases and follows the Biden administration’s use of the B-2 with conventional bombs against Houthi targets last year.
The US military plans to bring the USS Carl Vinson from Asia as well, while France has placed its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, in Djibouti, an East African nation on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-launches-new-strikes-against-houthis-in-yemen-apparently-killing-at-least-1-person