WASHINGTON:
U.S. President Donald Trump initiated large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group on Saturday in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping. The operation, which resulted in at least 31 casualties, marks the beginning of a campaign expected to extend over several days.
Trump also issued a stern warning to Iran, the primary supporter of the Houthis, demanding an immediate end to its backing of the group. He stated, “If Iran threatens the United States, America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!”
The strikes represent the most significant U.S. military action in the Middle East since Trump assumed office in January. This escalation coincides with increased U.S. sanctions pressure on Tehran, aimed at bringing Iran to negotiations over its nuclear program.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, “To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!”
According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 13 civilians were killed and nine injured in U.S. strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Additionally, Houthi media reported that 11 others, including four children and one woman, were killed and 14 injured in a strike on the northern province of Saada.
The Houthis’ political bureau condemned the attacks as a “war crime” and vowed to retaliate. “Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” the group stated.
Residents in Sanaa described the strikes as devastating. “The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children,” one resident, Abdullah Yahia, told Reuters.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have carried out numerous attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, disrupting global shipping and prompting a costly U.S. military response to intercept missiles and drones.
A Pentagon spokesperson noted that the Houthis have attacked U.S. warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023. The group claims its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The U.S. strikes on Saturday were partially carried out by fighter aircraft from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command described the operation as the start of a broader campaign across Yemen.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized, “Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice. Freedom of Navigation will be restored.”
Trump warned of even more severe military action if necessary, stating, “The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, dismissed U.S. demands, asserting that Washington has “no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy.” He called for an end to U.S. support for Israel and the killing of Yemeni civilians.
The strikes followed a letter from Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Khamenei rejected the proposal, but Tehran faces growing domestic unrest over economic challenges.
Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, Western nations argue such high enrichment is unnecessary for civilian purposes.
In a diplomatic gesture, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the strikes in Yemen. Russia, which relies on Iranian weaponry for its war in Ukraine, has not publicly commented on the situation.
