First Combat Deployment in Years as Middle East Tensions Rise…
On Wednesday night, U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers launched strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, according to three U.S. defense officials. The bombers, flown from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, targeted weapons storage facilities, marking the B-2’s first combat mission in the ongoing Middle East conflict and its first deployment in combat in several years.
The strikes come just three weeks before the 2024 elections, amid escalating tensions in the region. Some analysts and online commentators see this move as a clear signal to Iran, warning against further escalation as the Middle East faces the threat of a broader regional conflict.
Task & Purpose provides additional details:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the strikes in a statement, describing the targets as “five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.”
U.S. Central Command further detailed the targets in a statement, saying they were used to house “missiles, weapons components, and other munitions used to target military and civilian vessels throughout the region.” The Houthi movement controls much of the country following the Yemeni Civil War, including the capital city of Sana’a.
“For over a year, the Iran-backed Houthis, Specially Designated Global Terrorists, have recklessly and unlawfully attacked U.S. and international vessels transiting the Red Sea, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden,” Austin said. “The Houthis’ illegal attacks continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce, threaten environmental catastrophe, and put innocent civilian lives and U.S. and partner forces’ lives at risk.”
The Pentagon did not disclose the full range of American military assets used in the operation except to say both U.S. Air Force and Navy assets took part. Neither the U.S. military, Yemeni media nor Houthi outlets gave any indication on how many were killed in the operation. CENTCOM said that it is still assessing the results of the strikes.
The B-2 Spirit’s last known combat mission took place on Jan. 18, 2017, near Sirte, Libya, targeting an ISIS training camp. That mission, carried out just two days before the end of the Obama administration, involved two B-2 bombers from the 509th Bomb Wing. The aircraft flew over 30 hours round trip from Missouri to Libya, delivering approximately 108 500-pound bombs equipped with Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, resulting in the death of at least 80 ISIS militants.
The latest deployment highlights the strategic role of the B-2 in U.S. military operations and signals heightened readiness for potential developments in the region, especially if Iran feels emboldened.
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USA is …right …next …door to all our enemies. Distance is …not an issue.
A real Pest amiss at Soul . Not proud of it ? but this new society ? Just think ? when the Gov. shows what weaponry they are using ! How much more destructive/ total enumerating/ killing power they have not showed! But in this case / Glad they are even using old expensive ( MEANS ) that should have been used right from the start. So all this unneeded destruction would have been stopped before getting this far. Or if you watched old TV series? ANDY and Barney Fife on Mayberry RD ? Barney PROLIFIC WORDS ! ( Andy you got too NIP it in the BUD ) !!! or a newer but oldy STAMP out the STAMPEDER !!! RIGHT ? WRONG ?