The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday that it carried out precision strikes on the Houthis‘ underground Advanced Conventional Weapon (ACW) storage facilities in Yemen less than 24 hours after a critical meeting on the issue between its deputy chief and the IDF deputy chief.
CENTCOM said that the Houthis used the facilities to conduct attacks against US Navy vessels and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“The strikes are part of CENTCOM’s effort to degrade Iranian-backed Houthi attempts to threaten regional partners and military and merchant vessels in the region,” the statement added.
On Tuesday afternoon, CENTCOM Deputy Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram met in Israel with an unusual specific focus on future moves versus the Yemen Houthis.
Generally, such meetings have been focused on Gazal, Lebanon, or Iran.
However, a statement on Tuesday said that they visited several air force bases, including the Nevatim base in the South where the Jerusalem Post watched a joint drill of Israeli F-35s and American F-15s in 2023 training for striking countries “at a distance”, and discussed countering threats from Yemen and other terror organizations in the Middle East.
Increasing frequency of Houthi fire
As recently as Sunday, the Houthis fired yet another ballistic missile at Israel and they have increased the frequency of firing ballistic missiles at Israel for several weeks without any significant breaks.
Many of these attacks have forced millions of Israelis in the Tel Aviv and central Israel regions into bomb shelters and safe rooms, even as none have been killed by Houthi weapons since July 2024.
However, NIS 11 million damage was caused to a school in the Tel Aviv area and other damage has been caused by pieces of shrapnel falling into Israel after air defense systems have shot down the Houthi ballistic missiles.
The Houthi attacks have continued even after Israel has launched four separate large scale strikes on areas under their control in Yemen, including striking all of their main maritime ports multiple times and their international airport on December 25.
Even a December 31 US CENTCOM strike on a key Houthi installation has not stopped the missiles being launched at Israel.
To date, the Houthis have launched over 200 ballistic missiles and close to 200 drones at Israel.
Israeli leaders have said they will target Houthi leaders, but it is possible that Israel and the US must work together to improve their intelligence regarding targeting the Houthis in a way which will end the missile attacks on the Jewish state.
Additionally, the deputy chiefs attended a strategic briefing led by the Air Force Chief of Staff Brig.-Gen. Omer Tishler, the Nevatim base commander, and other senior officers.
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