**U.S. Forces Strike Houthi Weapon Storage in Yemen Following Biden's Orders**

U.S. military officials announced late Wednesday that American forces conducted precision strikes against weapon storage facilities controlled by the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. These operations, executed by the U.S. Air Force and Navy, received authorization from President Biden.

The decision to strike comes amidst ongoing challenges in countering months-long Houthi assaults on commercial and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and other strategic Middle Eastern waterways. These waterways are crucial, impacting over 65 nations and 29 major shipping and energy companies.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin explained that Biden approved the strikes to "further degrade the Houthis' capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world's most critical waterways." The targeted underground facilities reportedly housed missiles, weapon components, and other munitions that have been used against both military and civilian vessels in the region, according to CENTCOM.

In response to escalating attacks, the Biden administration re-designated the Houthis as a "global terrorist group" in January. This designation was a reaction to the Houthis' self-proclaimed offensive, which they said was a protest against the Israel-Hamas war initiated in October of the previous year.

"For over a year, the Iran-backed Houthis, Specially Designated Global Terrorists, have recklessly and unlawfully attacked U.S. and international vessels transiting the Red Sea, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden," stated Austin. This consistent targeting of international maritime traffic underscores the broader risks posed to global trade and regional stability by the Houthis’ actions.