U.S. bombs Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with B-2 warplanes

This story has been updated with new information.

U.S. B-2 bombers attacked weapons caches belonging to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen late Wednesday, in a strike that appears to be the first such use of the strategic stealth bomber against the militia.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin said in a statement the operation was ordered by President Joe Biden to “further degrade” the Houthis’ ability to launch attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. The strikes could also be a warning to Iran at a time when Tehran and U.S. ally Israel have appeared on the verge of a full-blown war.

Austin did not mention Iran by name. However, he said the use of the B-2 bomber, which is the only warplane in the U.S. arsenal that can carry 30,000-pound so-called bunker busting bombs, “was a unique demonstration of the United States’ ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified. The employment of U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrate U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere.”

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The U.S.’s top defense official said the “precision strikes” targeted five “hardened” underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. A separate statement from Tampa, Fla.-based U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, on Wednesday night said U.S. Navy “assets” also took part in the attack. CENTCOM said it was still assessing “battle damage” but its initial findings “do not indicate civilian casualties.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: U.S. strikes Yemen’s Houthi rebels with B-2 bombers