US bombs ‘many’ Houthi weapons storage sites in Yemen, official says

LONDON — U.S. airstrikes targeted Houthi facilities in Yemen on Saturday evening, a U.S. defense official confirmed to ABC News.

Forces led by U.S. Central Command “conducted multiple airstrikes on numerous Iranian-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen,” the official said.

“The targets contained various advanced conventional weapons used to target military and civilian vessels sailing in the international waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” the official said, adding that further details on the strikes would be provided. Soon”.

The US – along with the UK – first launched airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in January 2024, following several months of drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

The Houthis launched their campaign against shipping in response to Israel’s war in Gaza, launched after the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7. Houthi leaders have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel ends its campaign in Gaza and withdraws from the territory.

The Houthis have also launched drone and ballistic missile attacks into Israeli territory and as far north as the Mediterranean Sea. These include a deadly drone strike on Tel Aviv in July.

The Houthi attacks also sparked Israeli retaliation. In September, for example, “dozens” of Israeli warplanes targeted the infrastructure of the ports of Ras Isa and Hodeidah.

Saturday’s U.S. airstrikes were the first since Tuesday’s presidential election. On Friday, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Abdul Malik al-Houthi – the leader of the Houthi group – said President-elect Donald Trump will “fail” to end the regional conflict on multiple fronts.