US B-2 bomber raids target Houthis in Yemen for the first time.. What do we know about them?

The United States launched a series of airstrikes, at dawn on Thursday, in the capital Sanaa and Saada, using B-2 bombers, or what is known as the Ghost, for the first time to bomb Houthi sites in Yemen, according to what was reported by the American CNN network.

The American network said, "The raids targeted weapons depots and underground facilities, containing conventional weapons used to target military and civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden."

Three US military officials said the strikes were carried out by B-2 bombers, marking the first time the US has used the stealth strategic bomber to attack the Houthis in Yemen since the start of the US campaign.

For its part, Houthi media reported that three waves of airstrikes targeted the capital, Sanaa, in addition to a series of raids targeting the eastern city of Saada in the far north of the country.

Residents told "Yemeni Youth Net" that "the sound of violent raids was heard in large parts of the capital, Sana'a" and that "there was an intensive flight of warplanes in the skies of Sana'a, coinciding with the air raids."

The bomber is much larger than the fighter jets that have been used so far to target Houthi facilities and weapons, and is capable of carrying larger quantities of bombs, according to the American network.

Since the beginning of this year, America and Britain have launched air strikes and sporadic attacks on a number of Yemeni governorates, and say that they are targeting the Houthis’ military capabilities, in response to their attacks against ships in the Red Sea.

What do we know about B-2 bombers?

The B-2 bomber is one of the most expensive warplanes in the world, costing around $1 billion each. No country other than the United States possesses it.

According to a report published by the National Interest magazine, this aircraft is known as the B-2 Spirit, and it is capable of carrying missiles weighing up to a ton, and it can hit the target with extreme accuracy within a range of no more than 10 meters.

The most distinctive feature of this aircraft is its ability to hide, as air defense systems will not be able to detect its entry, and it will carry out its mission and return without knowing that it has crossed the airspace. According to the US Air Force website, these aircraft provide the advantage of "penetrating air defenses, which is an effective combat deterrent force."

This aircraft, which is flown by two pilots, includes a set of radars that can detect targets using "infrared, sound, electromagnetic detection, and visual detection." It is capable of absorbing electromagnetic waves, due to its body being made of special materials, and its shape that enables it to easily infiltrate any country.

This aircraft weighs 73 tons, has a wingspan of 52 meters, a height of 5 meters, and a length of 20 meters. It is capable of carrying 80 tons, and flies at an altitude of 50 thousand feet, at a very high speed, but less than the speed of sound.

Which war did you participate in?

This aircraft was first announced in the late 1980s, where its various capabilities were tested and the required modifications were made to it, and the first aircraft was officially delivered to the US Air Force in 1993.

In the 1990s, it participated in striking targets in Serbia, and was able to fly from Whiteman Air Force Base to Afghanistan in the longest mission ever conducted by a "stealth" aircraft. There are about 21 "B-2" stealth aircraft operating in the US Air Force.

During the years 2003 to 2009, this aircraft played a major role in the Iraq War, where it directed numerous strikes in which it launched more than 1.5 million pounds of bombs and missiles.

Source: Yemen Youth + American websites