Suspected US airstrikes in Yemen kill six as tensions escalate with Houthis

Suspected U.S. airstrikes targeted rebel-controlled areas in Yemen on April 2, with the Houthis reporting that at least six people were killed in the attacks. The airstrikes are part of an ongoing U.S. campaign in Yemen, which has intensified due to the rebels' actions against shipping in the region amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Satellite images taken on April 2 showed six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, marking a notable military move during the Yemen conflict and growing tensions with Iran, Caliber.Az reports via American media.

This deployment comes as the U.S. continues its airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis claim that at least 67 people have been killed since the start of the campaign.

The U.S. airstrikes, which are said to target Houthi positions, have reportedly hit areas such as the Hodeida governorate, where a "water project" was struck, killing four and injuring others. Additional strikes targeted other governorates, including Hajjah, Saada, and Sanaa. The Houthis also reported heavy bombardment in Saada, where 17 strikes were conducted on Wednesday, and attacks at key sites, including Ras Isa port and a telecommunications site in Ibb governorate.

Despite ongoing airstrikes, the Houthis have continued their offensive against U.S. warships in the Red Sea, primarily targeting the USS Harry S. Truman, the vessel responsible for executing most of the strikes. Although no U.S. warship has been hit, the U.S. Navy has acknowledged that the Houthi fire is some of the heaviest combat its sailors have faced in recent years.

In a response to the growing conflict, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is being redeployed to the region to assist the Truman, with additional squadrons and air assets expected to be sent as well. More than 300 airmen, including personnel from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing, have been deployed to support the mission in the region.

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors, and have also launched unsuccessful attacks on American warships. These actions have raised the Houthis' international profile, highlighting their involvement in a brutal civil war that has devastated Yemen.

By Tamilla Hasanova