The US military struck more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, attacking weapons systems, bases and other equipment belonging to the Iran-backed rebels, US officials confirmed .
Military planes and warships bombarded Houthi strongholds in about five locations, officials said.
Seven strikes hit the airport in Hodeida, a major port city, and the Katheib region, which is home to a military base controlled by the Houthis, Houthi media said. Four other strikes hit the Seiyana area of Sanaa, the capital, and two strikes hit Dhamar province. The Houthi media office also reported three air raids in Bayda province, southeast of Sanaa.
The strikes came days after the Houthis threatened to “intensify military operations” against Israel after apparently shooting down a US military drone flying over Yemen. Last week, the group claimed responsibility for an attack targeting US warships.
The rebels fired more than half a dozen ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles as well as two drones at three US ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but all were intercepted by Navy destroyers, according to several American officials.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public.
The Houthis have targeted more than 80 merchant ships with missiles and drones since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza last October. They seized one ship and sank two during this campaign which also killed four sailors.
Other missiles and drones were intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to hit their targets, which included Western military ships.
The group has claimed it is targeting ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom to force an end to the Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
