Egypt Daily News – Over the past hours, the U.S. has carried out one of the largest strikes on the Houthis in Yemen in years. The strikes, which have been ongoing since yesterday, Saturday, have targeted dozens of sites across six Yemeni provinces, including the capital, Sanaa.
According to sources, the strikes targeted camps and weapons storage and manufacturing sites belonging to the Houthis, destroying a number of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, and air defense systems. For the first time, the strikes also targeted several Houthi leaders in Sanaa, as well as civilian infrastructure, including a power station in Saada province and facilities belonging to the Yemen Oil Company.
The strikes were mainly carried out by American aircraft stationed on the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, which returned to the Red Sea earlier this month. Additionally, Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and the Ohio-class submarine USS Georgia, which is equipped with 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and operates on nuclear propulsion. Surveillance aircraft, command and control planes, aerial refueling aircraft, and drones also participated, all taking off from U.S. bases in the Gulf and the Horn of Africa.
Britain also participated in the strikes with Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets and an aerial refueling aircraft, as is common in such joint operations. However, this time, it was not mentioned that the strikes were conducted as part of a coalition or under the “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” which was launched in December 2023 as a defensive mission to counter Houthi threats and ensure the free movement of international shipping.
The strikes are expected to continue for several days or even weeks, especially as they coincide with Houthi threats to resume targeting international shipping if Israel resumes its war in Gaza and continues its blockade on the strip. The strikes also come after the Houthis shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was on a reconnaissance mission over the Yemeni city of Hodeidah. Before this incident, the Houthis had attempted to target a U.S. F-16 fighter jet with an air defense missile.
Statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as discussions among advisers and officials at the National Security Council and the Pentagon, indicate that the United States is rapidly moving toward escalating its military operations. This escalation may not be limited to airstrikes alone but could develop into a full-scale military intervention, either through direct U.S. involvement or in cooperation with regional allies.
It is also worth noting that intensive military preparations have become visibly apparent around Yemen, in the southern Red Sea, and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, involving both Arab states and U.S.-led forces. This could be an indication of logistical preparations for a large-scale military operation in Yemen in the near future
