Late Wednesday evening, the Pentagon announced that the United States had deployed B-2 Spirit bombers to the Middle East to destroy targets in Yemen. The target sites, controlled by the Houthis, were buried deep underground, said the Pentagon press secretary during a briefing today.

“U.S. military forces, including U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, conducted precision strikes against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said. “U.S. forces targeted several of the Houthis’ underground facilities housing various weapons components of the types the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region.” 

For more than a year now, the Houthis, backed by Iran, have conducted repeated attacks on U.S. and international vessels in the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. 

The full impact of the bomber strike is not yet known, but U.S. Central Command is conducting an assessment. Ryder did say the mission was successful. 

“We struck exactly what we intended,” he said, adding that the mission sent a message to the Houthis. “There will continue to be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks which put innocent civilian lives and U.S. and partner force’s lives at risk.” 

In a statement last night, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said the U.S. will do what is needed to protect its forces in the Middle East. 

“The United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition and merchant vessels,” Austin said. “We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks.” 

Hamas Leader Dead 

Today, Israel announced that it had killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. 

“The killing today of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, by Israeli forces is a major achievement in counterterrorism,” said Austin. “Sinwar’s death will not heal the wounds of the Oct. 7 atrocities that he plotted or the many deaths for which he is responsible, but I hope that it may bring some small measure of justice and solace to the families and the loved ones of the many victims of Sinwar’s premeditated cruelty.” 

The removal of Sinwar is significant, despite the likelihood that Hamas will not go long without selecting another leader, Ryder said.

“I’m certain that’s something that the Israelis will continue to keep an eye on, as will we,” Ryder said. “I also don’t think you can discount the significance, again, from a counterterrorism standpoint, the role that Sinwar has played in leading this organization, also as the architect, so to speak, of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel. It’s significant that he’s been taken off the battlefield.” 

With the elimination of Sinwar, there is now greater opportunity for a cease-fire in Gaza, Austin said. 

“Sinwar’s death … provides an extraordinary opportunity to achieve a lasting ceasefire, end this terrible war, allow Israelis to return safely to their homes in southern Israel, rush in far more humanitarian assistance to ease the misery in Gaza and bring relief and hope to the Palestinians who have endured so much under Hamas’s oppressive rule,” he said. 

During a call today with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Austin discussed the killing of Sinwar. He also reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and the U.S. having provided the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system to Israel. 

On Monday, an advanced team of U.S. military personnel, along with the initial components necessary to operate the THAAD, arrived in Israel. The THAAD is an anti–ballistic missile defense system. 

Ryder said at the time that additional U.S. military personnel and THAAD battery components would continue to arrive in Israel over the course of this week. 

“The battery will be fully operational [and] capable in the near future,” he said, without specifying a date. 

Also, on the call today with Gallant, Austin said the arrival of the THAAD is another indicator of the U.S. commitment to Israel. 

“Secretary Austin … reiterated that the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery represents the United States’ unwavering, enduring and ironclad commitment to Israel’s security,” Ryder said.

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