In response to recent U.S. airstrikes intended to deter their actions, both the United States and the Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen are signaling a potential escalation in hostilities. These airstrikes were launched by the U.S. to protect military and commercial vessels navigating one of the world’s key maritime routes.
The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry in Yemen reported that the overnight strikes resulted in at least 53 deaths, among them five women and two children, with nearly 100 others injured in various locations including the capital, Sanaa, and the Houthi stronghold of Saada near the Saudi Arabian border.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed a firm stance during a CBS interview on Sunday, indicating the U.S. aim to prevent the Houthis from controlling maritime passage. Rubio assured that operations would persist until the Houthis could no longer pose a threat to shipping lanes and described these actions as significant, contrasting them with previous retaliatory strikes.
President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Saturday, pledging the use of “overwhelming lethal force” to halt Houthi aggressions, and holding Tehran accountable for any misconduct by their allies. The Houthis have a history of targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, an act they claim supports Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict with Israel, another Iranian ally.
Houthi attacks paused following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in January but have been threatened to resume after Israel recently curtailed humanitarian aid to Gaza. To date, there have been no new reported assaults from the Houthis.
The U.S. airstrikes represent a significant military engagement since hostilities flared in Gaza in October 2023. Michael Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, remarked that the strikes successfully neutralized multiple Houthi leaders, though he did not provide details. Rubio confirmed the destruction of Houthi infrastructure.
In retaliation, the Houthis pledged to counter U.S. actions with matching aggression, claiming on Sunday that they targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group with missiles and a drone. However, two U.S. officials, opting for anonymity, stated they were not monitoring any such threats.
The U.N. Secretary-General’s office, through a spokesperson, called for comprehensive restraint and a halt to all military engagements to mitigate the substantial humanitarian crisis in Yemen, recognized as the Arab world’s most impoverished nation.
According to Rubio, the past 18 months have seen 174 direct Houthi attacks on the U.S. Navy and 145 on commercial vessels using advanced guided weaponry, marking the most intense combat scenarios for the U.S. Navy since World War II.
Furthermore, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard head, Gen. Hossein Salami, denied any Iranian involvement with the Houthis’ offensives, as aired on state television. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, called for an end to U.S. airstrikes via social media, emphasizing Iran’s independence in its foreign policy.
The United States and its allies have routinely accused Iran of furnishing military support to the Houthis, citing seizures of Iranian-made armaments designated for the rebels.
While the U.S., Israel, and Britain have previously engaged in strikes against Houthi territory in Yemen, this latest initiative was carried out solely by the United States under Trump’s current presidency.
Participating in the operation was the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group, comprising a carrier, three destroyers, and one cruiser, with the USS Georgia cruise missile submarine also operational in the area.
