US launches wave of air strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

President Donald Trump stated that the US has initiated a “strong and decisive” series of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, attributing the action to the group’s assaults on shipping in the Red Sea.

Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies,” Trump wrote on his Truth social platform, adding that their “piracy, violence, and terrorism” had cost “billions of dollars” and put lives at risk.

The health ministry controlled by the Houthis reported that a minimum of 31 individuals lost their lives and 101 more sustained injuries in the attacks.

The group, which started attacking shipping in reaction to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, announced that its forces would retaliate to US strikes. The Houthis documented multiple explosions on Saturday night in Sanaa and in the northern area of Saada – the rebels’ power base near the Saudi border.

The rebel group supported by Iran, viewing Israel as its adversary, governs Sanaa and the northwest region of Yemen; however, it does not represent the internationally-recognized government of the country.

Unverified photographs depict clouds of black smoke rising over the vicinity of Sanaa’s airport, which contains a military installation. In a statement, the Houthis accused the US and the UK of “evil” aggression aimed at residential zones in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

These attacks, Trump said, “will not be tolerated”.He added: “We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US government had “no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy”. “End support for Israeli genocide and terrorism,” he posted on X on Sunday. “Stop killing of Yemeni people.”

The Houthis have stated that they are supporting the Palestinians amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and they have often falsely claimed to be targeting only ships associated with Israel, the US, or the UK. Since November 2023, the Houthis have attacked numerous merchant vessels using missiles, drones, and small boat assaults in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They have sunk two ships, captured a third, and murdered four crewmen.

The group has remained undeterred by the presence of Western warships safeguarding commercial ships or by several waves of US and British air attacks on its military sites. Since July, Israel has conducted air strikes on the Houthis in response to the 400 missiles and drones that the Israeli military reported were fired at the nation from Yemen, the majority of which were intercepted.

Leading shipping firms have had to cease operations in the Red Sea—where nearly 15% of the world’s maritime trade typically flows—and instead take a significantly longer route around southern Africa.

Trump stated that it had been over a year since a US-flagged vessel had navigated safely through the Suez Canal – which connects to the Red Sea – and four months since a US warship had crossed the waterway between eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The Suez Canal serves as the fastest maritime route between Asia and Europe and plays a crucial role in the transport of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).