Suspected US airstrikes have killed at least two people and wounded nine others in a stronghold of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to the group. The strikes, which occurred overnight in Saada, were confirmed by footage aired by the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel.
The intense campaign of airstrikes targeting the Houthis has already killed at least 69 people, with the US military releasing casualty figures from March 15 onwards. However, the Houthis have not acknowledged any casualties among their security and military leadership.
US President Donald Trump posted a video on Saturday that appeared to show a strike collapsing a building in what he described as a social gathering spot for Houthi fighters. The video suggests that the strike may have targeted higher-ranking officials or personnel rather than just launch sites, which is an escalation of the US airstrikes campaign.
The Houthis have been waging a war against the Yemeni government since 2015, and their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters have raised tensions with Israel and the US. The conflict has also had significant humanitarian consequences, including widespread economic problems and human rights abuses.
Yemen’s exiled government, which opposes the Houthis, claims that the strike killed at least 70 Houthi fighters and leaders, as well as “experts” from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. However, neither the Iranian government nor the Guard has acknowledged the attack.
The US airstrikes campaign is believed to be aimed at pressuring Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing for nearly a decade, with the Houthis facing economic and humanitarian challenges.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-87ca0be8a841ce3e939d65ee72d2c021