U.S. Deploys B-2 Stealth Bombers for Massive Air Strikes Against Yemen

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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has deployed B-2A Spirit stealth bombers to conduct multiple precision airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen.

This operation marks the first combat mission for the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers following the escalation of tensions after October 7. It is also the first time U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers have flown from Guam to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to target hardened underground weapon and ammunition storage sites used by Houthi militants aligned with Iran's Islamic regime in Yemen, serving as a warning to the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The targeted facilities, located in Houthi-controlled areas, contained advanced conventional weapons that have been used to threaten U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. military.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group has framed its assaults as expressions of solidarity with Palestinians amid ongoing Israeli attacks, although their strikes have also targeted vessels with no apparent connections to the conflict.

Since the onset of the Gaza conflict, Yemen's Houthis have conducted over 100 missile and drone strikes against vessels in the Red Sea. Notably, last month, they launched a long-range ballistic missile from Yemen that struck central Israel, causing fires and triggering air raid sirens in areas such as Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion International Airport, prompting residents to seek shelter.

Thursday’s airstrikes aimed to degrade the Houthis' capabilities to conduct unlawful attacks on international commercial shipping and to protect U.S. and coalition personnel in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM targeted hardened underground facilities storing missiles, weapons components, and munitions intended for military and civilian maritime operations.

CENTCOM has initiated battle damage assessments, which currently show no civilian casualties.

There have been no previous reports of the B-2 Spirit being used in strikes against the Houthis. The B-2, which costs approximately $1 billion each, is a rare asset in the U.S. Air Force's fleet. Each aircraft has the capacity to carry up to 20 tons of ordnance, including up to 80 GPS-guided 500-pound bombs.

The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel reported recent airstrikes near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014, as well as in the Houthi stronghold of Saada. However, the channel did not provide immediate details regarding the extent of damage or casualties from these attacks.