At least 24 people lost their lives as U.S. President Donald Trump launched extensive military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saturday, in response to their assaults on Red Sea shipping. He issued a stern warning, stating, “Hell will rain down” on them if they continued their attacks.
Trump also cautioned Iran, the Houthis’ primary supporter, demanding an immediate halt to its backing of the group. “If Iran threatens the United States, America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!” he declared.
According to officials, the strikes—expected to continue for days or even weeks—mark the most significant U.S. military operation in the Middle East since Trump assumed office in January. The escalation coincides with the U.S. increasing sanctions on Tehran while attempting to pressure it into negotiations over its nuclear program.
The Houthi-run health ministry reported that U.S. airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, resulted in at least 13 civilian deaths and nine injuries. Meanwhile, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that a strike in Saada province killed six people, including four children and a woman, and injured 11 others.
The Houthis’ political bureau condemned the strikes, calling them a “war crime.”
“Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” the group stated.
Sanaa residents described the intensity of the attacks. “The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children,” said Abdullah Yahia, a local resident, speaking to Reuters.
The Houthis, an armed faction that has controlled much of Yemen over the past decade, have launched over 100 attacks on shipping vessels since November 2023, severely disrupting global trade. This has forced the U.S. military into costly missile and drone defense operations.
The Houthis claim their attacks are a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
Iran’s other allies in the region, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, have suffered severe setbacks due to Israeli military actions. Additionally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad—once closely aligned with Tehran—was overthrown by rebels in December. However, despite these developments, Yemen’s Houthis have remained resilient, sinking two ships, seizing another, and killing at least four seafarers. Their attacks have forced global shipping companies to take longer, costlier routes around Africa.
The previous U.S. administration under Joe Biden attempted to weaken the Houthis’ ability to strike vessels but implemented only limited military measures. However, current U.S. officials—who spoke anonymously—indicate that Trump has authorized a far more aggressive strategy.
WIDESPREAD STRIKES
Saturday’s offensive was carried out partly by fighter jets launched from the USS Harry S. Truman, stationed in the Red Sea. The U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, described it as the beginning of a “large-scale operation across Yemen.”
“Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated, and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X. “Freedom of navigation will be restored.”
Trump signaled the possibility of even more intense military action, warning:
“The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we achieve our objective.”
Iran’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations has yet to comment on the strikes.
On Tuesday, the Houthis declared their intent to resume attacks on Israeli-linked vessels navigating through the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, breaking a period of relative calm that had begun in January following a ceasefire in Gaza.
The U.S. strikes come shortly after Trump sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
However, on Wednesday, Khamenei rejected any talks with the United States.
Despite this, Iranian officials worry about rising public frustration over economic hardships, which could lead to widespread protests, according to sources speaking to Reuters.
Last year, Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military facilities, missile sites, and air defense systems—a direct retaliation for Iranian missile and drone attacks. U.S. officials believe these strikes significantly weakened Tehran’s conventional military capabilities.
While Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that Tehran is rapidly enriching uranium to 60% purity, nearing the 90% level required for weapons-grade material.
Western nations argue that no civilian nuclear program requires uranium enrichment to such a high level, with no other country having done so without producing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful.
