US Intensifies Military Strikes Against Houthi Radar Installations in Yemen
In an ongoing response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, the United States conducted multiple strikes in Yemen over the weekend, including a strike Friday night targeting a Houthi radar facility. This action follows a coordinated multination attack on 28 Houthi locations, involving the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Bahrain, and the Netherlands.
The US Central Command stated that the USS Carney, a guided-missile destroyer, executed the strikes using Tomahawk land-attack missiles. The latest US attack was specifically focused on a radar site associated with the Houthis’ anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities.
Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims II, director of operations for the Joint Staff, reported that the Houthis had launched an anti-ship ballistic missile at a commercial vessel earlier that day. President Joe Biden, emphasizing the US’s commitment to responding to Houthi threats, said that additional military action could follow if such attacks persisted.
Despite attempts to avoid escalation, the Iran-backed Houthi group launched another missile toward a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden after the US-led strikes. John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman, indicated that the US was trying to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
The primary targets of the US-led strikes were radar facilities and command and control nodes, crucial to the Houthis’ ability to target commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Initial assessments of the damage from the first wave of strikes were positive, with Sims expressing confidence in their effectiveness.
The Houthis, vowing retaliation and labeling US and UK assets as legitimate targets, reported five fatalities and six injuries from the Thursday strikes.
