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The United States launched a large-scale military operation Saturday evening, striking dozens of Houthi targets in Sanaa and Hodeidah, The New York Times reported, citing two senior U.S. officials.
The strikes, described as the "opening salvo" of a broader offensive against the Iran-backed group, come as the Houthis have resumed threats against Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea.
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US strikes in Sanaa, Yemen
(Video: Reuters)
According to U.S. officials, the strikes targeted radars, air defense systems and missile sites, with the Trump administration aiming to reopen key international shipping routes in the Red Sea. They described the operation as the most significant military action of Trump’s second term, intended not only to weaken the Houthis but also to send a direct warning to Iran.
Yemen’s Health Ministry said in an initial report that at least nine people were killed and nine others injured in the strikes on Sanaa. Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese network Al Mayadeen later reported that the number of fatalities had risen to 13.
Reports in the U.S. indicate that the strikes, aimed at the Houthis’ vast weapons arsenal—some of it buried underground—"could last several days and escalate depending on the militants' response."
The New York Times also noted divisions within the U.S. National Security Council, where some advisers are pushing for even more aggressive strikes to force the Houthis to cede control of large parts of northern Yemen.
Senior Houthi official Nasruddin Amer responded to the U.S. operation on X, writing: "Sanaa will remain Gaza’s shield and support, and will not abandon it, no matter the challenges."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a forceful statement following the strikes, declaring that U.S. forces had launched "decisive and powerful" action against the Houthis. "They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump said.
Criticizing his predecessor, Trump added, "Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last American warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times."
Trump accused Iran of financing the Houthis, saying the group had launched missiles at U.S. aircraft and targeted American troops and allies. "These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and the global economy billions of dollars while putting innocent lives at risk," he said.
Trump to Houthis and Iran: ‘Your time is up’
Trump issued a direct ultimatum to 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!"
He also addressed Iran, demanding an immediate end to its support for the Houthis. "Do NOT threaten the American people, their president, who has received one of the largest mandates in presidential history, or worldwide shipping lanes," he warned. "If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable—and we won’t be nice about it!"
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Trump reiterated that the U.S. would no longer tolerate Houthi attacks on American vessels. "We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," he said. "The Houthis have choked off one of the most important waterways in the world, halted vast swaths of global trade, and attacked the core principle of Freedom of Navigation, upon which international commerce depends."
He concluded by praising U.S. forces: "Our brave warfighters are now striking terrorist bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American ships and restore navigational freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the waterways of the world."