THE United States military has said that it struck more than 800 Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing Hundreds of Houthi fighters, including some of its leaders.
The “Operation Rough Rider” initiated by US forces aim to halt Houthi attacks on the Israeli-bound, or US-linked, ships in the Red Sea and restore US “deterrence,” officials said.
The United States has hit more than 800 targets in Yemen in a span of less than two months, killing hundreds of Houthi rebel fighters, including members of the group’s leadership, the US military said Sunday.
“Since the start of Operation Rough Rider, USCENTCOM has struck over 800 targets. These strikes have killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” the military command responsible for the Middle East said in a statement.
“The strikes, according to CENTCOM, destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, and advanced weapons storage locations.”
However, despite strikes, Houthis remain in control of large swaths of Yemen and have been at war with a Saudi-led Coalition backing the internationally recognised government since 2015. They have continued to claim attacks against both US vessels and Israel.
CENTCOM said that “while the Houthis have continued to attack our vessels, our operations have degraded the pace and effectiveness of their attacks. Ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69 per cent. Additionally, attacks from one-way attack drones have decreased by 55 per cent.”
The rebel group began targeting shipping in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by the ongoing Israeli attacks and bombardments since October 8, 2023.
Houthi attacks have prevented ships from passing through the Suez Canal — a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of the world’s shipping traffic — forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa.
