14 hours Ago By AFP
WASHINGTON: The United States has hit more than 800 targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing hundreds of Houthi rebel fighters, including members of the group's leadership, the US military said Sunday.Washington's forces have hammered the Houthis with near-daily air strikes since March 15 in an operation dubbed "Rough Rider," seeking to end the threat they pose to vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and reestablish US regional "deterrence.""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 have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, and advanced weapons storage locations," CENTCOM said.Despite the strikes, the Houthis – who control large swaths of Yemen and have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government since 2015 – 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 percent. Additionally, attacks from one-way attack drones have decreased by 55 percent.
""Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis. The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime," the military command said."We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region," it added.
The Houthi rebels began targeting shipping in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by a military campaign launched by Israel after a shock Hamas attack in October of that year.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.The United States first began conducting strikes against the Houthis under the Biden administration, and President Donald Trump has vowed that military action against the rebels will continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.
--AFP© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.
