US forces carried out precise attacks on five below-ground weapon storage areas in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen a few days ago. Lloyd Austin‚ the US Defense Secretary stated that these strikes were aimed at facilities housing various weapon parts used by Houthis to attack ships in the area
This action follows US militarys earlier strikes on Houthi-linked targets in Yemen earlier this month. Local people reported explosions at army posts and an airport. The Houthi group‚ which is aligned with Iran has been attacking ships crossing the Red Sea since last fall claiming theyʼre doing it to support Palestinians in the Gaza conflict (which has been going on for about a year)
The Houthis have done almost 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Theyʼve sunk two ships‚ took one‚ and killed at least four sailors. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that theyre checking the damage from the strikes and so far dont see any non-military people hurt
We targeted several of the Houthis underground facilities housing various weapons components
The US actions show that the conflict in the area is getting more serious. With Houthis attacking ships and the US responding‚ thereʼs a risk that the fighting could spread to other parts of the Middle East. The situation is complex‚ with different groups involved and various reasons for the conflict
Its important to note that these events are part of a bigger picture in the region. The Gaza conflict‚ which started about a year ago‚ is affecting other countries and groups. The Houthis say theyre attacking ships to support Palestinians‚ but this is causing problems for international shipping and trade
The US and its allies are trying to keep the Red Sea safe for ships‚ but its a difficult task. The Houthis have shown they can cause real damage‚ and the US strikes are an attempt to stop them. However its not clear if these actions will end the attacks or make the situation worse