U.S. fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes on Sunday evening targeting positions affiliated with the Houthi group in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the provinces of Hodeidah and Saada. This marks a new escalation in a military campaign that Washington says aims to “cripple the Houthis’ capabilities and halt their threats to international shipping.”

The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated that the strikes targeted “military sites and facilities used to store weapons and drones,” adding that the operation came in response to repeated Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group regarding the attacks, while local sources reported heavy explosions and intense aerial activity over the targeted areas.

These developments come amid rising tensions in the region, with international warnings about the potential expansion of the conflict and its repercussions on global trade and maritime security.