US conducts ‘precision airstrike’ on Yemeni capital

The Pentagon claims it has targeted an alleged Iranian-backed Houthi command center in Sanaa

US forces have launched a precision airstrike against a “key command and control facility” reportedly operated by Iran-backed rebels within Houthi-controlled territory in Sanaa, Yemen.

The targeted facility was identified as a hub for coordinating Houthi operations, including attacks on US Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Monday.

This strike reflects Washington’s “ongoing commitment to protect US and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping,” CENTCOM said.

The latest raid comes amid heightened tensions following recent Houthi missile and drone attacks against Israel and commercial vessels. Earlier on Monday, the Houthi movement claimed that it launched a hypersonic ballistic missile at Tel Aviv which, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was intercepted by Israeli defenses without casualties.

The Yemeni Shia group has been targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea and expanding its operations to include US- and UK-linked vessels in “solidarity” with the Palestinians amid the Israeli war with Hamas in Gaza.

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Last week, the US Navy reportedly repelled a Houthi attack on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden. According to CENTCOM, on December 9-10, two US destroyers, the USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS O’Kane (DDG 77), successfully destroyed unmanned aerial systems and an anti-ship cruise missile, preventing any harm to civilian ships or crew. Additionally, on November 13, US Navy ships intercepted and neutralized drones and missiles launched by the Houthis while passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The US, along with its allies, launched Operation Prosperity Guardian last year in response to Houthi attacks. Last month, US military forces conducted airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, targeting weapons depots used for attacks on ships off the country’s coast. On December 15, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported US and British airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Hodeidah province, but there was no immediate comment from the US on the report. Hodeidah, which houses an international airport and three vital ports, has been a frequent target of US and British strikes.