West Palm Beach, Florida. President Trump ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels stop attacking shipping along a critical maritime corridor. The Houthis claimed nine civilians were killed.
“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” tweeted President Trump on social media. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”
He also warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel group, promising to hold it “fully accountable” for its proxy’s actions. It comes two weeks after the US president sent a letter to Iranian leaders offering a way to restart bilateral talks over Iran’s advancing nuclear weapons program, which Trump has said he will not allow to become operational.
The Houthis reported a series of explosions on their territory Saturday evening. Images circulating online showed plumes of black smoke rising from the Sanaa airport complex, which includes a sprawling military facility.
Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi-run health ministry, confirmed that at least nine people were killed. In a social media post, he stated that another nine were injured.
Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, said the airstrikes would not deter them and that they would retaliate against the United States. “Sanaa will remain Gaza’s shield and support, and will not abandon it regardless of the challenges,” he wrote on social media.
The airstrikes come just a few days after the Houthis announced that they would resume attacks on Israeli vessels sailing in waters off Yemen in response to Israel’s blockade of Gaza. No Houthi attacks have been reported since then.
Earlier this month, Israel halted all aid to Gaza and warned Hamas of “additional consequences” if their fragile ceasefire in the war is not extended while negotiations over a second phase begin.
The Houthis claimed that their warning had reached the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Gulf.
During their campaign targeting military and civilian ships between the start of Israel’s war with Hamas in late 2023 and January of this year, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two and killing four sailors.
The attacks raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic difficulties and launched a crackdown on dissent and aid workers at home, amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemate war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest country.
The Houthi media office reported that the US strikes hit “a residential neighborhood” in Sanaa’s northern district of Shouab. Residents in Sanaa reported at least four airstrikes on the Eastern Geraf neighborhood in the Shouab district, terrifying women and children.
“The explosions were very strong,” explained Abdallah al-Alffi. “It was like an earthquake.”
The US, Israel, and the UK have previously attacked Houthi-held areas in Yemen. Israel’s military has declined to comment.
According to a US official, the US was solely responsible for Saturday’s operation against the Houthis. It was the first strike against the Yemen-based Houthis by the second Trump administration, and it came after a period of relative calm in the region.
The Biden administration conducted such broad-based and pre-planned missile strikes against the Houthis on numerous occasions in response to the Houthis’ frequent attacks on commercial and military vessels in the region.
The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which includes the carrier, three Navy destroyers, and one cruiser, is in the Red Sea and took part in the mission. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been active in the area.
Trump announced the strikes while spending the day at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” according to Trump.
