US deploys B-2 stealth bombers in precision strikes on Houthi underground bases in Yemen

The United States military conducted a series of precision airstrikes using its most advanced stealth bomber, the B-2 Spirit, to target fortified underground bases belonging to Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the bombing runs, carried out early Thursday, successfully hit five bunker sites controlled by the Shiite rebel group in Yemen.

This represented a major escalation in US response against the Houthis, who have been attacking commercial shipping lanes in the vital Red Sea corridor for months. Austin called the operation a “unique demonstration” of America’s ability to strike hard-to-reach targets buried deep underground. The B-2 is one of very few aircraft capable of penetrating fortified bunkers with its arsenal of massive bunker-buster bombs.

The Houthis have been using an extensive network of underground tunnels and bases, some originally built for Scud missiles, to shelter fighters and weapons from Saudi-led airstrikes. These include complexes near the cities of Saada and Sanaa. Thursday’s strikes reportedly hit high-value installations near the towns of Hafa, Jebel Attan, and the Yemeni capital. No civilian casualties were reported.

The action sends a clear message to Iran, the Houthis’ primary backer, following missile attacks on Israel blamed on Iranian proxies like Hezbollah. As the sole warplane capable of destroying Iran’s fortified nuclear sites, the B-2 reinforces America’s commitment to targeting facilities that threaten regional stability. The stealth bomber’s undisclosed combat damage assessment will further deter arms shipments sustaining the Houthis’ destabilizing acts.