U.S. Launches Airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi Targets

The U.S. military has carried out multiple airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi forces, escalating tensions in the region. The strikes come in response to recent threats and attacks.

President Donald Trump announced that the US has initiated a “decisive and powerful” series of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, attributing the action to their attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the Houthi fighters, supported financially by Iran, have launched missile attacks at US aircraft and targeted American troops and allies. He added that their actions of “piracy, violence, and terrorism” had resulted in financial losses amounting to billions of dollars while endangering lives.

According to the health ministry managed by the Houthis, at least 31 individuals lost their lives and another 101 were injured in the strikes.

The group, which started targeting shipping due to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, announced that its forces would retaliate against US strikes.

The Houthis announced that several explosions occurred on Saturday evening in Sanaa and the northern province of Saada, a stronghold for the rebels situated near the Saudi Arabian border.

The Iran-supported rebel group, viewing Israel as an adversary, maintains control over Sanaa and northwestern Yemen; however, it is not acknowledged globally as the country’s official government.

Unconfirmed images depict thick black smoke rising above the vicinity of Sanaa’s airport, where a military facility is located.

In a statement, the Houthis accused the US and UK of “wicked” aggression targeting residential areas in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The UK did not take part in Saturday’s US strikes on Houthi targets, but it did offer routine refueling support to the US.

Trump stated that these attacks “will not be tolerated.”

He stated, “We will employ unparalleled lethal force until we accomplish our goal.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the U.S. government “lacks authority or grounds to dictate Iranian foreign policy.”

“Stop supporting Israeli actions and end the violence against Yemeni people,” he posted on X on Sunday.

The Houthis have stated that they are supporting the Palestinians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. They have also asserted—frequently without accuracy—that their attacks target ships exclusively associated with Israel, the US, or the UK.

Beginning in November 2023, the Houthis have launched multiple attacks on merchant vessels using missiles, drones, and small boats in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They have successfully sunk two ships, captured a third one, and caused the deaths of four crew members.

The deployment of Western warships to safeguard merchant vessels and multiple rounds of US and British air strikes on its military targets have not deterred the group.

Since July, Israel has conducted air strikes against the Houthis in response to what the Israeli military reported as 400 missiles and drones launched from Yemen towards their country. Most of these were intercepted and shot down.

Major shipping companies have been compelled to cease using the Red Sea, a crucial passage for nearly 15% of global seaborne trade. As a result, they now take a considerably longer route around southern Africa.

Trump stated that it had been over a year since a US-flagged ship successfully navigated the Suez Canal, which is connected to the Red Sea. Additionally, he noted that four months had passed since a US warship traveled through the waters between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

The Suez Canal serves as the fastest maritime pathway connecting Asia and Europe, playing a crucial role in the transport of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Directly addressing the Houthis, Trump warned that failure to cease their actions would result in “HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE.”

However, the Houthis remained resolute in their stance, asserting that the aggression would not diminish their support for Palestinians.

“Our Yemeni armed forces are prepared to respond decisively, ensuring that any aggression is met with an appropriate escalation,” the group stated.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also talked about military deterrence operations against the Houthis during his conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

A spokesperson from the State Department stated that Rubio stressed, “The ongoing Houthi attacks on US military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea are unacceptable.”

According to the Russian foreign ministry, Lavrov emphasized the urgent necessity for “an immediate halt to violence” and highlighted the “significance of all parties engaging in political dialogue to reach a solution that would avert further bloodshed.”

According to the US Congress, between November 2023 and October 2024, the Houthis carried out 190 attacks in the Red Sea.

In the past, the UK and US collaborated on joint naval and air strikes against the group. Additionally, Israel has independently targeted locations associated with the Houthis in separate attacks.

Trump called on Iran to stop supporting the Houthis, cautioning that Washington would hold Tehran “fully accountable and wouldn’t be lenient about it.”

He also accused the prior White House administration, led by Joe Biden, of being “pathetically weak” and permitting the “unrestrained Houthis” to continue their actions.