Yemen’s Houthi rebels said today that 17 of their fighters were killed in airstrikes by the United States. The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, did not say where the airstrikes happened.
The United States has been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen since 2016 against Al Qaeda and other militant groups. The Houthis have been fighting the Yemeni government since 2014 in a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people and caused a major humanitarian crisis.
Here are some simple facts to remember:
- 17 Houthi fighters were killed.
- The United States carried out the airstrikes.
- The airstrikes happened in Yemen.
- Yemen is in a civil war.
- Yemen’s Houthi rebels conducted a funeral ceremony on Saturday to mourn the loss of at least 17 militants who were killed in airstrikes jointly carried out by the United States and Britain. The strikes targeted the Iran-supported insurgents, as reported by the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.
The Houthis have initiated a series of drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels since November 19, citing retaliation against Israel’s military actions in Gaza as the reason. This has led to retaliatory strikes by Britain and the United States. Saba, in its reporting on the funerals, stated that these actions will not deter the Yemeni people from continuing their support for their brethren in the Gaza Strip.