The United States has launched a “decisive and powerful” series of airstrikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, President Donald Trump announced, citing the group’s persistent attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea.
“Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft and targeted our troops and allies,” Trump stated on Truth Social, accusing the group of “piracy, violence, and terrorism” that has caused billions of dollars in damage and endangered lives.
According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 15 people were killed and nine others injured in the strikes. The Houthis vowed retaliation, declaring that U.S. aggression would not deter their military response.
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Explosions were reported on Saturday night in Yemen’s capital Sanaa and in Saada province, a Houthi stronghold near the Saudi border. Unverified images showed thick plumes of smoke over Sanaa’s airport, which includes a military base. Though the Houthis accused the U.S. and UK of “wicked” aggression targeting residential areas, it is understood that only U.S. forces conducted the latest strikes, with the UK providing routine refuelling support.
Trump warned that the airstrikes would continue: “We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. These attacks will not be tolerated.” Addressing the Houthis directly, he wrote, “HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded sharply, rejecting U.S. actions and asserting that Washington had “no authority or business dictating Iranian foreign policy.” He called for an end to U.S. support for Israel, condemning what he described as the “killing of Yemeni people.”
The Houthis, who control much of northwestern Yemen including Sanaa, claim they are attacking shipping vessels to support Palestinians in Gaza. Since November 2023, they have launched dozens of attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sinking two vessels, seizing another, and killing four crew members. Despite the presence of Western naval forces and repeated U.S.-British airstrikes, their assaults have continued.
The conflict has severely disrupted global trade, with major shipping companies rerouting vessels around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea—a vital corridor that usually handles nearly 15% of global seaborne trade. Trump noted that no U.S.-flagged ship had sailed safely through the Suez Canal in over a year and that it had been four months since a U.S. warship transited the Red Sea.
Israel has also launched strikes on Houthi positions since July, in response to more than 400 missiles and drones fired from Yemen, most of which were intercepted.
Despite U.S. warnings, the Houthis remain defiant: “This aggression will not go without response, and our Yemeni armed forces are ready to answer escalation with further escalation,” the group declared.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Iran, the Houthis’ chief supporter, was “on notice.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio also discussed deterrence measures with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reiterating that further attacks on U.S. ships would not be tolerated.
The Houthis carried out 190 attacks in the Red Sea between November 2023 and October 2024, according to U.S. Congressional data. In response, the U.S. and UK have previously launched coordinated naval and air strikes against the group, while Israel has also targeted Houthi-linked sites in separate operations.
President Donald Trump called on Iran to end its backing of the Houthis, warning that the U.S. would hold Tehran “fully accountable — and we won’t be nice about it.” He also criticized former President Joe Biden’s administration, labeling it “pathetically weak” and blaming it for allowing the “unrestrained Houthis” to continue their aggression.
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