U.S. Strikes Home in on Houthi Drone Experts in Yemen

The U.S. is pounding Houthi drone experts and infrastructure as well as command-and-control nodes across Yemen at a pace previously unseen.

Why it matters: The rebel group has for months held the Red Sea and its surroundings hostage, despite international firepower levied against it.

Key to its stranglehold are unmanned, explosive-strapped vehicles in the air and on the sea.

What they’re saying: “No doubt the Houthis have proven that they can take a punch,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Axios.

“But over time? That remains the big question.”
Catch up quick: An initial wave of attacks hit 30-plus targets, including “a terrorist compound where we know several senior Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located,” Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich told reporters at the Pentagon.

“Those were key individuals who led their unmanned aerial vehicle enterprise and were some of the technical experts.”
That was more than a week ago. The action hasn’t stopped since.

By the numbers: The U.S. launched at least 612% more strikes in March than it did during all of its operations targeting the Iran-backed group since November, according to a Jewish Institute for National Security of America tally.

Originally published by Axios.