New U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists kill at least 1 in Yemen

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, reportedly killing at least one person as the American military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in the heart of Sanaa controlled by the Houthi terrorists.

The full extent of the damage and possible casualties wasn’t immediately clear. The attacks followed a night of airstrikes early Friday that appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15.

An Associated Press review has found the new American operation under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, satellite photos analyzed by the AP show a mysterious airstrip just off Yemen in a key maritime chokepoint now appears ready to accept flights and B-2 bombers within striking distance of the country Saturday.

The strikes into Saturday targeted multiple areas in Yemen under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthis, including the capital, Sanaa, and in the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, Houthi-controlled media reported. The strikes in Saada killed one person and wounded four others, the Houthi-run SABA news agency said.

Many of the strikes haven’t been fully acknowledged by the Houthis — or the U.S. military — while the terrorists also tightly control access on the ground.

One strike early Friday, however, has been confirmed by the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees its Mideast operations. It posted a black-and-white video early Saturday showing an airstrike targeting a site in Yemen. While it didn’t identify the location, an AP analysis of the footage’s details corresponds to a known strike Friday in Sanaa. The footage shows the bomb striking the military’s general command headquarters held by the Houthis.

The new campaign of airstrikes, which the Houthis now say have killed at least 58 people, started after the group threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships againp. The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well.