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 that provided its most detailed accounting of the operation so far.
“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 swathes of Yemen and have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognised government since 2015 – have continued to claim attacks against both US vessels and Israel.
