US military launches air attacks on Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels

The US military struck a number of Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, going after weapons systems, bases and other equipment belonging to the Iranian-backed rebels, a US official confirmed.

US aircraft and ships struck Houthi strongholds, according to the official. The exact number of targets was not yet available as the mission was just ending.

According to the Houthi media, seven strikes hit the airport in Hodeida, a major port city, and the Katheib area, which has a Houthi-controlled military base. Four more strikes hit the Seiyana area in Sanaa, the capital, and two strikes hit the Dhamar province. The Houthi media office also reported three air raids in Bayda province, southeast of Sanaa.

The strikes come just days after the Houthis threatened escalating military operations targeting Israel after they apparently shot down a US military drone flying over Yemen. And just last week, the group claimed responsibility for an attack targeting American warships.

The rebels fired more