Donald Trump launches wave of air strikes on Yemen’s Houthis

The US has launched a “decisive and highly effective” wave of air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Donald Trump has mentioned, citing the armed group’s assaults on transport within the Purple Sea as the rationale.

“Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US plane, and focused our Troops and Allies,” Trump wrote on his Fact social platform, including that their “piracy, violence, and terrorism” had value “billions of {dollars}” and put lives in danger.

The Houthi-run well being ministry mentioned at the very least 15 individuals have been killed and 9 others injured within the strikes.

The group – which started concentrating on transport in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza – mentioned its forces would reply to US strikes.

The Houthis reported a collection of explosions on Saturday night in Sanaa and within the northern province of Saada – the rebels’ stronghold on the border with Saudi Arabia.

The Iranian-backed insurgent group, which considers Israel its enemy, controls Sanaa and the north-west of Yemen, however it isn’t the nation’s internationally-recognised authorities.

Unverified pictures present plumes of black smoke over the realm of Sanaa’s airport – which features a army facility.

In an announcement, the Houthis blamed the US and the UK for “depraved” aggression concentrating on residential areas within the Yemeni capital, Sanaa – although it’s understood that the UK didn’t take part in Saturday’s US strikes in opposition to the Houthi targets however it did present routine refuelling assist for the US.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have focused dozens of service provider vessels with missiles, drones and small boat assaults within the Purple Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They’ve sunk two vessels, seized a 3rd, and killed 4 crew members.

These assaults, Trump mentioned, “is not going to be tolerated”.

He added: “We are going to use overwhelming deadly power till we now have achieved our goal.”

The Houthis have mentioned they’re performing in assist of the Palestinians within the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and have claimed – typically falsely – that they’re concentrating on ships solely linked to Israel, the US or the UK.

For over a yr the Houthis haven’t been deterred by the deployment of Western warships within the Purple Sea and Gulf of Aden to guard service provider vessels, or by a number of rounds of US and British air strikes on Houthi army targets.

Israel has additionally carried out air strikes in opposition to the Houthis since July in retaliation for the 400 missiles and drones that the Israeli army says have been launched on the nation from Yemen, most of which have been shot down.

On account of strikes since November 2023, vessels utilizing the Purple Sea have been diverting round southern Africa relatively than utilizing the Suez Canal between Europe and Asia, including to prices and creating a possible international financial danger.

Trump mentioned that it had been greater than a yr since a US-flagged ship had sailed safely by way of the Suez Canal – which the Purple Sea results in – and 4 months since a US warship had been by way of the physique of water between east Africa and the Arabian peninsula.

The Suez Canal is the quickest sea route between Asia and Europe, and is especially essential within the transportation of oil and liquefied pure gasoline (LNG).

Addressing the Houthis straight, Trump wrote that if they didn’t cease, “HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE”.

However the Houthis have been unwavering of their response, saying the aggression wouldn’t wane their assist for Palestinians.

“This aggression is not going to go with out response and our Yemeni armed forces are able to reply escalation with additional escalation,” the group mentioned.

In the meantime, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned that the Houthi’s “benefactor”, Iran, was “on discover”.

For greater than a yr, main transport corporations have been compelled to cease utilizing the Purple Sea – by way of which just about 15% of worldwide seaborne commerce normally passes – and used a for much longer route round southern Africa as a substitute.

The Houthis launched 190 assaults within the Purple Sea between November 2023 and October 2024, based on the US Congress.

Beforehand, the UK and US carried out joint naval and air strikes in opposition to the group. Israel has additionally focused websites linked to the Houthis in separate strikes.

Trump urged Iran to stop its assist for the Houthis, warning that Washington would maintain Tehran “totally accountable and, we can’t be good about it”.

He additionally accused the earlier White Home administration, underneath Joe Biden, of being “pathetically weak” and permitting the “unrestrained Houthis” to maintain going.