Houthis’ Faleq-1 anti-ship missiles. Yemen. Photo: Houthi media.
Yemen, 29 March – On Friday night, the United States Armed Forces continued intensive airstrikes against Ansar Allah (Houthi) targets in Yemen. According to a preliminary estimate, over the past 24 hours, the US military conducted approximately 80 airstrikes against targets in the capital Sanaa and a number of other areas.
The main targets of the strikes were weapons depots, command posts, and drone and missile launchers used by the Houthis to attack international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Against the backdrop of the strikes, unconfirmed reports appeared on social media about the death of General Abdul Khalik al-Hussein, one of the key commanders of the Houthi Republican Guard and the brother of the movement’s leader, Abdul Malik al-Hussein. The information is being disseminated with reference to sources close to the Houthis, but it has not yet been officially confirmed.
Washington explains the escalation of strikes by the need to protect freedom of navigation and deter threats to civilian and commercial vessels, which are increasingly being targeted by Houthis.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation as the escalating conflict threatens to further destabilise the region.
