US says airstrike hit Houthi command and control facility in Yemen
CENTCOM says Iran-backed rebels used targeted site to coordinate attacks on naval and merchant ships in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden; IDF said readying strike plans after missile launch
American forces carried out an airstrike 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 escalation following the Hamas-led terror onslaught in southern Israel the previous month that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, which armed groups in multiple countries have claimed as justification for attacks.
“The targeted facility was a hub for coordinating Houthi 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. Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria have also attacked Israel for the same stated reason.
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 airstrikes 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.
Israel has twice struck the Houthis in retaliation for the group’s attacks, and according to Channel 12 news the military was preparing to potentially strike again following Monday’s ballistic missile launch from Yemen that triggered sirens across most of central Israel.
The IDF said that the missile was successfully shot down by air defenses before crossing the country’s borders, adding that sirens sounded across central Israel over fears of falling shrapnel following the interception.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said its medics treated five people who were lightly injured while running for cover during the sirens in Tel Aviv, Petah Tikvah, Kfar Saba, Holon and at the Em Hamoshavot junction. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, MDA said in a statement.
Earlier Monday morning, a drone launched from Yemen was shot down by an Israeli Navy missile boat over the Mediterranean Sea, without setting off any sirens.
Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis have launched six ballistic missiles and at least five drones at Israel.
