U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers executed airstrikes against five weapons storage facilities operated by the Houthi terrorist group in Yemen on Wednesday.
In a Wednesday press release from the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “Today, U.S. military forces, including U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, conducted precision strikes against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. U.S. forces targeted several of the Houthis’ underground facilities housing various weapons components of types that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region.”
Austin described Wednesday’s B-2 bomber airstrikes as a “unique demonstration” of the U.S. military’s ability to conduct strikes against facilities “that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified.” The defense secretary added that by using the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, the United States demonstrated that it can conduct strikes against enemy facilities “when necessary, anytime, anywhere.”
Austin explained that Wednesday’s airstrikes came after more than a year of the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist organization “recklessly and unlawfully” attacking international vessels, including U.S. ships, in the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. The defense secretary said that the repeated Houthi attacks in the Middle East region have disrupted international commerce, threatened an “environmental catastrophe,” and caused the lives of U.S. forces, partner forces, and civilians to be put at risk.
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In Wednesday’s press release, Austin said President Joe Biden approved the airstrikes, which were intended to “further degrade” the Houthi terrorist organization’s ability to “continue their destabilizing behavior.” Austin also noted that the strikes were conducted to “protect and defend U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”
“Again, the United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels,” Austin added. “We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks.”
A press release by U.S. Central Command noted that the military’s battle damage assessments did not indicate any civilian casualties in Wednesday’s airstrikes. Central Command also explained that Wednesday’s airstrikes targeted Houthi facilities that stored missiles, various weapons components, and other munitions that the terrorist group has used to attack both military and civilian vessels in the Middle East.
