US-British coalition makes air raids on Houthi sites in Yemen

SANAA | Xinhua |  Warplanes of the U.S.-British coalition launched 15 airstrikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northern city of Saada early Thursday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

The strikes targeted three sites in Sanaa, in the areas of Al-Jiraf, Hafa and Jarban, as well as two other sites in Saada, in the areas of Kahlan and al-Abla, said the television.

There were no reports of casualties as the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, rarely discloses its casualties.

Residents of Sanaa told Xinhua that the strikes hit three Houthi military sites, one in the Al-Jiraf area in the northern part of Sanaa, while the other two sites in Hafa and Jarban in the southern part of the capital.

The strikes occurred at dawn, causing explosions that were heard across the capital.

Nasreddin Amer, the Houthis’ deputy information secretary, was quoted by the Houthi television as saying that “the United States will pay the price for its aggression.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement that it used “Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers” in the operation, targeting underground Houthi weapons storage facilities.

It said the Houthi storage “contained various advanced conventional weapons used to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters throughout the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.”

The Houthi group has been launching rocket attacks and drones against Israeli cities and “Israeli-linked” ships since last November to show solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

In response, the U.S.-British navy coalition stationed in the waters has been conducting sporadic strikes on Houthi targets to deter the group. ■