At least 19 individuals lost their lives as U.S. President Donald Trump initiated extensive military operations against Yemen‘s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday, in response to the group’s assaults on shipping in the Red Sea. He issued a stark warning, stating that “hell will rain down” on the Houthis if they do not cease their actions.
Trump also cautioned Iran, the primary supporter of the Houthis, that it must immediately withdraw its backing for the group. He emphasized that if Iran posed a threat to the United States, “America will hold you fully accountable and we won’t be nice about it!”
The ongoing military strikes, which one official indicated could extend over several days or even weeks, mark the largest U.S. military engagement in the Middle East since Trump assumed office in January. This escalation coincides with the United States intensifying sanctions against Tehran while seeking to bring it to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear program.
According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 13 civilians were killed and nine others injured in U.S. strikes targeting Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Additionally, six people, including four children and one woman, were reported killed, with 11 others injured in a U.S. strike in the northern province of Saada, as reported by Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.
The political bureau of the Houthis condemned the strikes as a “war crime.” In a statement, they declared, “Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation.”
Residents in Sanaa reported that the strikes impacted a building within a Houthi stronghold. One resident, Abdullah Yahia, recounted to Reuters, “The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children.”
The Houthis, an armed group that has gained control over much of Yemen in the past decade, have conducted over 100 attacks on shipping since November 2023, disrupting global trade and prompting the U.S. military to engage in an expensive campaign to intercept missiles and drones, depleting U.S. air defense resources. The Houthis assert that their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Iran’s allies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, have faced significant setbacks due to Israeli actions since the onset of the Gaza conflict. Additionally, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who maintained a close relationship with Tehran, was ousted by rebels in December.
In contrast, the Houthis in Yemen have demonstrated remarkable resilience, frequently taking the offensive by sinking two ships, capturing another, and killing at least four sailors in operations that have disrupted global shipping routes, compelling companies to divert to longer and costlier paths around southern Africa.
The administration of former President Joe Biden aimed to diminish the Houthis’ capacity to target vessels off the U.S. coast, but their actions were limited. However, U.S. officials, who requested anonymity, indicate that Trump has approved a more assertive strategy.
STRIKES ACROSS YEMEN
The strikes conducted on Saturday involved fighter jets from the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea, according to officials. The U.S. military’s Central Command, responsible for overseeing operations in the Middle East, characterized these strikes as the initiation of a comprehensive operation throughout Yemen.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on X, “Houthi attacks on American ships, aircraft, and our troops will not be tolerated; Iran, their supporter, is on notice. We will restore freedom of navigation.”
Trump hinted at the possibility of significantly more destructive military actions against Yemen, asserting, “The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will employ overwhelming lethal force until we achieve our objective.”
Iran’s mission to the United Nations has not yet provided a response to a request for comment.
On Tuesday, the Houthis announced their intention to resume attacks on Israeli vessels navigating the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden, marking the end of a period of relative tranquility that began in January with the Gaza ceasefire.
The U.S. military actions occurred shortly after a letter from former President Trump was sent to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program. However, Khamenei dismissed the idea of negotiations with the United States on Wednesday.
Despite this, Tehran is increasingly worried that rising public discontent over economic difficulties could lead to widespread protests, as reported by four Iranian officials to Reuters.
According to U.S. officials, Israeli airstrikes last year on Iranian sites, including missile production facilities and air defense systems, diminished Tehran’s conventional military strength in response to Iranian missile and drone assaults.
Iran has consistently denied any intention to develop nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, it is significantly ramping up uranium enrichment to levels as high as 60% purity, nearing the approximately 90% threshold considered weapons-grade, as cautioned by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Western nations argue that there is no justification for enriching uranium to such elevated levels for any civilian program, noting that no other country has done so without subsequently developing nuclear arms. Iran maintains that its nuclear endeavors are for peaceful purposes.
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