Trump Launches Military Strikes Against Houthis Amid Escalating Tensions

WASHINGTON/ADEN, Yemen, March 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump initiated extensive military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen on Saturday in response to their recent attacks that killed at least 31 individuals. This operation is expected to extend over several days as tensions escalate in the region.

Trump unequivocally urged Iran, the Houthis‘ main supporter, to cease its backing of the armed group. He stated, “If Iran threatens the United States, America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!”

The strikes were described by U.S. officials as the most substantial military action taken in the Middle East since Trump took office in January. In conjunction with the strikes, the U.S. has intensified sanctions on Tehran, aiming to engage Iran in negotiations concerning its nuclear program.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump warned the Houthis, declaring, “YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!”

According to Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 31 individuals died and 101 were injured in the U.S. strikes, predominantly women and children. The Houthi political bureau labeled the strikes as a “war crime.” It stated, “Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation.”

Witnesses in Sanaa noted that the strikes targeted a building in a Houthi stronghold. One resident, Abdullah Yahia, recounted, “The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children.”

Strikes also hit military sites belonging to the Houthis in Taiz, Yemen’s southwestern city. Additionally, a strike on a power station in Dahyan, where the Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi frequently meets visitors, caused a significant power outage.

The Houthis have been responsible for numerous missile attacks disrupting shipping off Yemen’s coast since November 2023. The Pentagon reported 174 attacks on U.S. warships and 145 on commercial vessels by the Houthis since 2023. The group claims their attacks support Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict with Israel and Hamas.

The previous Biden administration focused on hindering the Houthis’ capacity to strike vessels but imposed limited military responses. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, indicate that Trump has shifted towards a more aggressive military strategy. The military’s Central Command characterized Saturday’s actions as the commencement of a large-scale operation across Yemen, executed partly by aircraft from the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated on X, “Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice.”

Iran has condemned the U.S. strikes, labeling them a violation of international law. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that the U.S. lacks authority over Iran’s foreign policy, urging the country to end its support of Israeli actions and cease harm against the Yemeni population.

Reports indicate that the Houthis have vowed to resume attacks on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea following the U.S. strikes, which coincided with Trump’s communication to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Khamenei declined any proposal for talks.

Amid growing unrest over domestic economic troubles, Iranian officials voiced concern about potential mass protests in Iran. While Tehran maintains it does not seek nuclear weapons, the U.N. nuclear watchdog has voiced alarm over Iran enriching uranium to near-weapon grade purity.

In a potential diplomatic overture, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday regarding the strikes in Yemen, highlighting the U.S. commitment to addressing the situation.