On October 16, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made a statement confirming that U.S. military forces utilized B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to carry out precise strikes against five underground weapons storage sites controlled by Houthi forces in Yemen.

According to a report from Reuters, Austin pointed out that the U.S. military had identified several underground facilities used by the Houthis, which contained various weapon components designed to target civilian and military vessels across the region. Earlier this month, U.S. forces had conducted 15 attacks on related Houthi targets, with local residents reporting explosions near military outposts and an airport.

The U.S. Central Command also shared on social media that they are currently assessing the results of the strikes, which, so far, show no civilian casualties.

In an interview, Austin clarified that he authorized this round of strikes under the orders of President Joe Biden, with the goal of “further degrading” the capabilities of the Houthi forces.

This marked the first time the U.S. military deployed the B-2 Spirit bombers in their operations against Houthi forces in Yemen. The B-2 Spirit bombers are significantly larger than the various aircraft previously used in airstrikes and are capable of carrying more powerful bombs.

As of now, there has been no response from the Houthi forces regarding these recent developments.

Reports indicate that following the outbreak of renewed conflict between Israel and Palestine in October 2023, the Houthis began targeting vessels in the Red Sea that they claimed were connected to Israel, declaring their “support for Palestine.” Since January 12, 2024, the U.S. and U.K. have conducted consecutive airstrikes on Houthi targets, resulting in multiple casualties.