US Bombers Strike Yemen Weapons Facilities Controlled by Houthi Forces
On October 17, 2024, the United States conducted airstrikes against five underground Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen. The operations targeted “hardened” subterranean facilities used to store weapon components, which the Houthis have employed to attack both civilian and military vessels in the region.
The strikes were carried out by U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, marking the first instance of such aircraft being deployed in missions against the Houthis in Yemen. The B-2 bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and were equipped to carry up to 20 tons of munitions, including 80 precision-guided bombs weighing 500 pounds each.
The U.S. military aimed to weaken the Houthis’ ability to perpetuate their destabilizing activities and to safeguard U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world’s vital maritime routes, particularly in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The operation showcased the United States’ capability to strike at facilities that opponents strive to conceal, regardless of how deeply they are buried or fortified.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized that the use of the long-range stealth B-2 Spirit bombers highlighted the U.S.’s global strike capabilities, allowing it to act against these threats whenever necessary, anywhere in the world. The U.S. Central Command indicated that its assessment of damage did not suggest any civilian casualties resulted from the strikes.
