US airstrike targets hiding place of Houthi leader in Yemen

In an effort to compel the Houthi militants in Yemen to halt their attacks on Red Sea vessels, the US military launched a fresh round of airstrikes from Tuesday night (March 18) into Wednesday morning. The targeted areas included Saada province, a longtime hiding place for the Houthi militant leaders, as reported by Yemeni sources to Reuters.

According to reports from the Houthi-operated media outlet Al Masirah TV, multiple locations in Yemen were hit by over a dozen airstrikes, including the Al-Safra area in Saada province.

Sources in Yemen informed Reuters that the region houses weapon storage and training facilities, considered one of the most important and heavily defended military strongholds of the Houthi militant organization.

The US Central Command posted a video of the latest wave of attacks on the Houthi militants on social media platform X, stating that “CENTCOM continues to take action against the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists.”

Over the past decade, the Houthi militants have gained control over much of Yemen. Under the leadership of Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the organization has expanded to tens of thousands of members and established an advanced arsenal of drones and ballistic missiles.

Yemeni sources mentioned that since the Biden administration’s airstrikes on the Houthi militants, the organization has shifted its weapons away from known military locations.

It was reported to Reuters by sources that the Houthi militants have built new trenches and bunkers to avoid becoming targets of the US attacks, yet the latest strikes under the Trump administration have targeted these newly established sites, forcing the Houthi leaders into hiding.

To avoid detection, the leaders of the organization have shut down or discarded their phones, cutting off communication. The most recent senior leader to make a public appearance was Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee, seen in a video circulated on social media two days ago boarding a public bus disguised as a civilian and speaking at Sabeen Square in Sanaa.

Since the outbreak of the Red Sea ship attacks in October 2023, following the Hama War, the Houthi militants have been using missiles and drones to target ships, causing significant disruptions to navigation in the region. The militant group claims to be doing so in support of Hamas and to pressure Israel to cease attacks on Gaza.

The US began launching airstrikes on the Houthi militants since last Saturday (March 15), emphasizing that if the militants do not cease their attacks on Red Sea vessels, the US military will continue airstrikes without hesitation. President Trump warned that any further attacks or retaliation by the Houthi militants will face a strong response of force.