The United States has carried out airstrikes in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, killing at least seven people and injuring 29. The Houthis, a rebel group, claim to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. The airstrikes are part of a month-long campaign targeting the rebels, which has killed over 120 people.
The Houthis say the strikes targeted a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar neighborhood, but the US military’s Central Command did not acknowledge the incident. This is not the first time the US has carried out strikes without acknowledging them, as the Central Command has now been authorized to conduct strikes at will.
The US campaign against the Houthis began after the rebels threatened to target Israeli ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the airstrikes are part of an effort to pressure Iran over its nuclear program. He stated that the US “knows Iran is taking a look at what’s happening to the Houthis and realizing they don’t want any part of it.”
Source: https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-f37d6c5e878045efd48d3790fe69aef7