U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated extensive military strikes targeting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, a response to their recent assaults on shipping in the Red Sea. These attacks have resulted in the tragic loss of at least 24 lives, marking the beginning of what is anticipated to be a prolonged military campaign.
In a firm message directed at Iran—the primary supporter of the Houthis—Mr. Trump insisted on an immediate cessation of assistance to 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 ongoing military operations, which a U.S. official informed Reuters could extend for several weeks, represent the largest military engagement in the Middle East during Mr. Trump’s presidency, which began in January. This comes as the U.S. intensifies sanctions against Iran while simultaneously striving to bring it to the table for negotiations regarding its nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. strikes have had dire consequences on the civilian population, with reports indicating that at least 13 civilians were killed and nine injured in assaults on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, according to the health ministry run by the Houthis.
Further, in a strike on the northern province of Saada, at least 11 individuals—including four children and one woman—lost their lives, while 14 others sustained injuries, as reported by Houthi-operated Al-Masirah TV. The Houthis have condemned these actions as a “war crime,” underscoring their readiness to respond to further escalations with force. “Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” they declared in an official statement.
The Houthis, an armed faction that has consolidated control over much of Yemen in the past decade, have conducted numerous attacks on maritime vessels since November 2023, severely disrupting global commerce. This has necessitated costly interventions from the U.S. military to manage missile and drone threats, significantly depleting American air defense resources. According to the Pentagon, the Houthis have launched 174 attacks on U.S. warships and 145 on commercial vessels since the onset of this year.
The Houthis justify their attacks as a stance of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Hamas. Meanwhile, Iran’s allies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, have suffered significant losses since the conflict began, and Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has faced challenges following a rebellion that ousted much of its control.
Despite these setbacks for Iran’s network of support, the Houthis remain resilient, having successfully attacked and sunk vessels, further complicating global shipping routes. The previous U.S. administration under President Joe Biden had aimed to reduce the Houthis’ capability to threaten maritime security but adopted a more restrained military posture. However, sources indicate that Mr. Trump has approved a more assertive military strategy.
As part of this expanded military response, airstrikes were executed by fighter jets from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, currently deployed in the Red Sea. The U.S. military’s Central Command has characterized these strikes as just the beginning of a comprehensive operation throughout Yemen.
In light of the escalating tensions, 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.” Mr. Trump has hinted at the possibility of more damaging military actions if necessary: “The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.”
In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, asserted that the U.S. has “no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy,” urging an end to what he described as the “Israeli genocide and terrorism” against Yemen. The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not provide an immediate comment on these developments.
This military escalation follows the delivery of a letter from President Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking dialogue regarding the nuclear program, which Mr. Khamenei subsequently rejected.
It’s essential to note that last year, Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure reduced Iran’s conventional capabilities, according to U.S. intelligence. Despite Iran denying ambitions for nuclear weapon development, it has ramped up uranium enrichment to levels nearing weapons grade, with watchdogs like the International Atomic Energy Agency expressing concern. As Western nations have highlighted, the enrichment levels are unwarranted for any civilian use.
In a move that may signal an effort to thaw relations with Russia, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio communicated the situation in Yemen to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, emphasizing the importance of the issue considering Russia’s reliance on Iranian military support in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Stay tuned as we continue to monitor this complex and evolving situation in the Middle East.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
