The United States recently conducted precision strikes against five military sites controlled by Houthi forces in Yemen, using B-2 bombers to target weapons storage locations. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III stated that the strikes were aimed at underground facilities housing weapons components that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels in the region. This action showcased the U.S.’s ability to target deeply buried, hardened, or fortified facilities that adversaries seek to keep out of reach. President Joe Biden authorized the strikes to degrade the Houthis’ capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect U.S. forces and personnel in critical waterways.
The Houthi forces, backed by Iran and designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, have been conducting illegal and reckless attacks on U.S. and international vessels transiting the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden for over a year. These attacks have disrupted international commerce, threatened environmental disaster, and endangered civilian lives as well as U.S. and partner forces. The U.S. will continue to take action to defend American lives, deter attacks against civilians and regional partners, and ensure freedom of navigation in the region. The strikes were carried out by U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers, demonstrating the U.S.’s global strike capabilities.
According to U.S. defense officials, the Houthi forces have launched over 270 attacks on U.S. Navy ships, commercial shipping, and coalition ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November. They have also shot down at least eight U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, each costing up to $32 million. As a result, 29 major energy and shipping companies have changed their routes to avoid Houthi attacks, affecting shipping from at least 65 countries, including Russia, Iran, and China. Container shipping in the Red Sea has declined by 90% since December 2023, with alternate routes around Africa adding 11,000 nautical miles, 1-2 weeks of transit time, and $1 million in fuel costs for each voyage.
The disruption of shipping through the Red Sea, which accounts for 10-15% of international maritime trade, has had far-reaching consequences. Humanitarian aid for Sudan and Yemen has been significantly delayed due to the need for ships to take longer alternate routes. The U.S. Central Command’s early assessments following the recent strikes indicate that no civilians were injured in the operation. The U.S. remains committed to defending American lives and assets, deterring illegal attacks, and ensuring the safety and security of waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. The professionalism and skill of the American troops involved in the strikes were praised, as they continue to protect the nation and its interests in the region.
