It was the first time the United States used these stealth bombers against the Houthis, who have targeted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Israel claimed it had killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as multiple conflicts involving Iran-backed militant groups heated up.

Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor, has targeted Israel with ballistic missile attacks twice over the past year. The B-2 would be used in any American attack on hardened Iranian nuclear facilities like Natanz or Fordo, given it is the only aircraft in service that can drop the GBU-57, known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator”.