US intensifies airstrikes on Houthis, wounding naval attack mastermind
The US military intensified its airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites across multiple Yemeni provinces on Sunday, targeting locations in Al-Hudaydah, Saada, Marib, and Al-Jawf.
One of the strikes injured Mansour Al-Saadi, a key figure behind Houthi naval attacks and a designated individual on the US sanctions list. According to Yemeni sources, Al-Saadi was transported to Sanaa for medical treatment.
US airstrikes hit military sites
US fighter jets carried out five airstrikes on the Majzar district of Marib in northeastern Yemen, striking weapons depots and military barracks used by the Houthis near the city of Baraqish in Al-Jawf province.
In Marib, the US military also bombed the Mass Camp, a strategic Houthi stronghold, destroying military equipment and weapons storage facilities. The attack reportedly resulted in multiple Houthi casualties.
In Al-Hudaydah, airstrikes targeted military sites inside Al-Hudaydah Airport, where Houthi forces had recently moved weapons stockpiles. Additional strikes hit the port of As-Salif, destroying a drone warehouse and targeting the Houthi naval base in Al-Hudaydah.
According to Yemeni sources, these strikes destroyed armored vehicles and patrol units, killing dozens of Houthi fighters.
Strikes on Houthi stronghold in Saada
The air raids extended to Saada, the Houthi stronghold, where US jets struck military installations in the Sahar and Kitaf districts. These locations are key centers for the Iran-backed group's operations.
Mansour Al-Saadi injured in airstrike
Local sources reported that US bombardment injured senior Houthi leader Mansour Al-Saadi, also known as "Abu Sajad." Al-Saadi is responsible for planning and executing naval attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Reports indicate he was transferred to Sanaa for treatment.
Who is Mansour Al-Saadi?
Mansour Al-Saadi, a senior military commander within the Houthi movement, hails from Saada province and serves as the Chief of Staff of the Houthi naval forces, operating from Al-Hudaydah.
He is the chief strategist behind naval assaults on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Al-Saadi received military training in Iran and collaborated with the Quds Force and military experts in Yemen.
He oversees the development of explosive-laden boats and naval mines and underwent specialized training by Hezbollah officers in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. In March 2021, he was added to the U.S. sanctions list for his role in targeting international shipping.
He was arrested by Yemeni authorities in 2012 when the Iranian vessel "Jihan" was intercepted carrying weapons and explosives for the Houthis but was later released after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014.
