The Pentagon is stating that B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, along with other U.S. forces, conducted a strike on Houthi underground weapon storage sites in Yemen. This it the first operational strike mission for the Spirit in years and the first into Yemen. It sends a very specific and powerful message that only the B-2 can to the Houthis’ benefactor, Iran. It also occurred on what appears to be the precipice of an unprecedented Israeli retaliation strike. As to why the B-2 was used against the Houthis, who have only rudimentary air defenses, we will address that in a moment, but it was by design a very ominous and potentially historic act that might have featured the first use of an incredibly rare weapon. Even if it did not, the message was the same.
The Pentagon’s statement reads:
“Today, U.S. military forces, including U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, conducted precision strikes against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. U.S. forces targeted several of the Houthis’ underground facilities housing various weapons components of types that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region. This was a unique demonstration of the United States’ ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified. The employment of U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrate U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere.
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. The Houthis’ illegal attacks continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce, threaten environmental catastrophe, and put innocent civilian lives and U.S. and partner forces’ lives at risk. At the direction of President Biden, I authorized these targeted 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.
Again, the United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks. I am grateful for the professionalism and skill of the brave American troops who took part in today’s actions and who continue to stand guard in defense of our Nation.“
The DoD’s description of the targets is very important. “Hardened underground weapons storage locations,” followed by declaring “the United States’ ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified.” This directly highlights the B-2’s special ability to carry out unique penetrating ‘bunker buster’ strikes, specifically via its ability to carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, better known as the MOP. Although it isn’t clear if this weapon was used, it’s certainly possible for a number of reasons, and that is really all that matters.
The MOP, weighing in around 30,000lbs, can only be carried by the B-2. Two can be lugged aloft by each of the stealth bombers at a time. These are highly specialized and prized weapons only available in relatively tiny numbers. MOP is able to penetrate deeper than any other conventional bomb on earth and is specifically designed and has been repeatedly upgraded to go after deeply buried, high-value targets, especially those in Iran.
These sites include command and control centers and missile storage and launch facilities, as well as aircraft storage areas, tunneled into mountains. But above all else, the MOP’s top targets would be extremely hardened sites related to Iran’s nuclear program. This is a reality we have been discussing for many years and in detail. Even with the MOP, they will be a challenge to destroy, but anything short of a nuclear weapon, ground invasion, or use of an ‘exotic’ tactic like irradiation, leaves the MOPs with the best shot at severely damaging these facilities and degrading their utility over the long term.
The Houthis also have high-value sites dug into mountains. They are not nearly as advanced as those found in Iran, and while hitting weak points, support areas, and entrances may degrade their utility, truly destroying them may very well necessitate the MOP’s special penetrating abilities. Even if the target set didn’t require it, a demonstration of MOP’s capabilities — if it was indeed used — may have been a strategic messaging decision, but more about that in a moment.
The Houthis are going underground. In 2019, the movement seems to have reactivated a Saleh-era underground facility at Hafa military base in Sanaa, which had been destroyed by coalition airstrikes back in 2015. (15.325075° 44.239581°) pic.twitter.com/g4Ep5CltEX
— Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) March 14, 2021
The timing of such a strike makes perfect sense as it happened just as the tension between Israel and Iran is about to hit uncharted territory and the world awaits what is by all indications going to be a significant strike by Israel directly on Iran.
Sending a very direct reminder that the U.S. has the ability to destroy extremely hardened sites with conventional weapons and it is willing to use them seems right on cue in terms of deterrence theater. This is only magnified if MOP was indeed used for the first time. In fact, MOP-related news often peculiarly pops up during times of escalation with America’s ‘rogue state’ foes, although a demonstration of operational use has never occurred. Regardless, striking these sites with any munitions also degrades the Houthi’s long-range capabilities ahead of an Israeli operation, which is important.
The B-2 also has the ability to deliver Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) with penetrating warheads in the 2,000-pound class (BLU-109), as well as, at least in the past, 5,000-pound class bunker busters, the latter being a much rarer weapon, the exact status of which in the B-2’s inventory is unclear. You can read more about this class of weapon’s origins here and murky status here.
The B-2 is capable of carrying 16 of the 2,000lb class weapons, allowing it to ‘dig down’ through hardened targets that do not necessitate a MOP by having one weapon follow through the hole made by the one that just struck before it and so on. It is creative ‘weaponeering’ that allows for lesser bunker busters to achieve greater burrowing effects. Even the MOP could use this tactic for striking very deeply buried targets, like some of those in Iran. Otherwise disabling sites by going after entrance tunnels and other weaker, but less centralized areas may be an option.
But if common 2,000lb bunker busters were used, why leverage the B-2, a precious asset of which only 19 exist, on targets that sit under airspace that is barely defended? There are a number of reasons for this that we already addressed after the Spirit was selected to strike targets in Libya in 2017. You can read that post here. But once again, the messaging related to the B-2 and its ability to penetrate deep into contested airspace to deliver a highly specialized weapon that threatens Iran’s most guarded military and nuclear assets is the most glaring reason.
We will have to wait to find out exactly what was stuck and how, but as it sits now, this mission was far more than just an attack operation to achieve a kinetic effect. It was meant to send a blindingly bright message to Iran at a critically high-risk and pivotal moment.
Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com
