US defense secretary ordered and monitored Yemen strikes from hospital, senior defense official says January 11, 2024
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered and monitored the strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen from the hospital “with a full suite of secure communications,” a senior defense official said Thursday. Austin has been in the hospital since January 1 after he experienced complications from a December 22 procedure to treat prostate cancer. “Secretary Austin gave CENTCOM the order today to execute the strikes and monitored real-time with a full suite of secure communications capabilities,” the official said. “Following the strikes, he spoke with the National Security Council, the Chairman and the CENTCOM Commander to for an initial post-strike assessment."
