The U.S. Central Command announced overnight (between Monday and Tuesday) that it conducted a targeted airstrike against a “command and control facility” of the Houthi rebels near the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. In the army’s statement, it was reported that the attacked site served as a coordination center for Houthi operations, particularly for repeated attacks against American naval ships and maritime trade in the Red Sea.
American countermeasures amid rising tensions
The strike comes in response to a series of attacks carried out by the Houthis against Western ships and international trade in the Red Sea, a strategic region serving as a key shipping route. In recent times, the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, have increased their military activities against American and allied targets in the region, prompting military responses from the United States and coalition forces.
The U.S. Central Command’s statement emphasized that the strike was precisely directed at the command and control facility used to coordinate Houthi operations. According to the Americans, this center served as a key hub for managing missile and drone attacks against U.S. ships and commercial vessels in the turbulent maritime region.
The American strike is likely part of efforts to deter the Houthis and ensure the security of navigation in this vital maritime route. Tensions in the region have escalated in recent months, with repeated Houthi attacks on commercial ships and military targets, raising concerns about economic and strategic damage to the West.
It is worth noting that yesterday afternoon, alarms were triggered in 121 communities in the Dan and Shfela regions following the launch of a missile from Yemen. The IDF announced that the missile was intercepted before it entered Israeli territory, and alerts were activated due to concerns about interception debris.
The Houthis: “Terrorist actions do not affect us”
A spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, Hashem Sharaf al-Din, said that the American strike in Sanaa “is an attempt to break the will of the Yemeni people to support the Palestinian people.” According to him, “Our enemies cannot impact our military capabilities; these terrorist actions do not affect the government and the people in Yemen.”
