U.S. airstrikes on Saturday killed several Houthi leaders in Yemen, the White House reported on Sunday. The strikes also served as a warning to Iran, urging the country to stop supporting the Houthi rebel group and its attacks on Red Sea shipping. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed that the airstrikes specifically targeted and eliminated multiple Houthi leaders, adding, "We just hit them with overwhelming force and put Iran on notice that enough is enough." He also reiterated the U.S. stance that "all options are on the table" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The strikes, the first against the Yemeni rebels since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, resulted in at least 31 deaths and 101 injuries, according to the Houthi health ministry. The Tehran-backed Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen for over a decade, strongly oppose Israel and the United States. They claim their attacks on shipping are in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Houthis have launched numerous drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, especially after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
The U.S. President warned the Houthis, saying, "Hell will rain down upon you" if they do not cease their attacks on shipping. The Houthis, in turn, vowed to retaliate, with their spokesperson stating that the strikes would "not pass without response." The rebels also announced their forces are "fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation."
Trump also warned Iran to "immediately" stop backing the Houthi group. The Houthis are part of an "axis of resistance" of Iran-aligned groups opposed to Israel and the United States. Their attacks have severely impacted global shipping routes, including vital lanes in the Red Sea, which normally carry about 12% of world shipping traffic.
The Palestinian group Hamas, which has expressed gratitude for Houthi support, condemned the U.S. airstrikes, calling them a violation of international law. Earlier in the month, the U.S. officially classified the Houthi movement as a "foreign terrorist organization," prohibiting U.S. interaction with the group.
Since 2023, the Houthis have targeted U.S. warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times, according to Pentagon reports, further straining these important shipping lanes. The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and continued with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition. Despite a ceasefire in 2022, the peace process has largely stalled, largely due to Houthi attacks on Israel-linked shipping.
The situation remains tense, and the U.S. continues to emphasize that the Houthis must cease their attacks or face serious consequences.
With AFP
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