US CENTCOM strikes command and control center in Houthi capital of Sana’a
Senior Houthi leaders flee capital ahead of expected Israeli strike
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had struck missile storage and command and control centers in the Houthi capital city of Sana’a Saturday night.
In a statement, CENTCOM said it carried out the strikes “to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations” in the area, particularly attacks against vessels traversing the waters of the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
CENTCOM Conducts Airstrikes Against Iran-Backed Houthi Missile Storage and Command/Control Facilities in Yemen
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 21, 2024
TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by… pic.twitter.com/YRWWQJIweP
The U.S. command group responsible for the Middle East also said that during the operation, its forces “shot down multiple Houthi one way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) over the Red Sea.”
“The strike reflects CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment to protect US and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping,” CENTCOM stated.
Several Arab media sites initially attributed the strikes in Sana’a to Israel, as they came just hours after a Houthi missile struck Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people. However, CENTCOM announced its responsibility for the strikes shortly after their completion.
According to reports in ABC news, 2 U.S. Navy F-18 pilots were forced to eject when their plane was accidentally targeted by a U.S. warship in the moments following the strike on Sana’a. In a statement, CENTCOM said that the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, “mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman.”
According to reports in Saudi media, the Houthi leadership fled the capital city of Sana’a over fears of being directly targeted by Israeli strikes.
Saudi news site al-Arabiya reported that dozens of Houthi political and military leaders fled from Sana’a in a precautionary move following the launch of the ballistic missile that hit Tel Aviv.
Sky News Arabia also reported that Houthi officials advised leaders to minimize movements for fear of being tracked and targeted. It also said that many Houthi leaders had fled to residential areas, believing Israel would not target them there over fears of civilian casualties.
Sky News Arabia reported that “Houthi leaders have become cautious regarding mobile phones, as reliable intermediaries are used to manage communication and informing of operations, which has led to a noticeable decline in their activity on social media platforms.”
The news site spoke with Dr. Moshe Elad from the Galilee International Management Institute, who said that Israel could choose to target top Houthi leaders, in much the same way that it acted against Hezbollah.
Dr. Elad served as the former Head of the Regional Security Committee (RSC) and as a coordinator for security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
"The elimination of senior Houthi leaders, including al-Houthi himself, is a necessary step to end missile threats and deter the group,” Elad told Sky News Arabia.
We recommend to read:
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
