Synopsis
The US airstrikes in Yemen resulted in 53 fatalities, including women and children, as reported by the Houthi-run Health Ministry. President Trump has vowed to use overwhelming force against the Houthis, who have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea.Key Takeaways
- 53 fatalities, including women and children, reported.
- US President Trump promises 'overwhelming lethal force'.
- Strikes aimed at Houthi leaders and military capabilities.
- Houthis have attacked international shipping, claiming solidarity with Gaza.
- Escalation of tensions following the Gaza conflict.
Sanaa, March 17 (NationPress) The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry reported that the recent US airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 53 individuals, including five women and two children, with over 100 wounded in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, according to media sources.
The United States has intensified its military actions against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, with President Donald Trump pledging on Saturday to deploy 'overwhelming lethal force' against the rebels who have been targeting international vessels in the Red Sea in a show of solidarity with Gaza.
Numerous US airstrikes in Sanaa and surrounding areas have led to significant casualties, with Houthi forces promising to escalate their response amid one of the most extensive assaults since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.
The US launched airstrikes on various locations in Yemen starting around midnight on Sunday, focusing on Sanaa and the Houthi stronghold province of Sadaa.
Trump asserted that the Houthis must cease their assaults on international shipping in the Red Sea, a vital shipping lane. Should they continue, he warned that 'hell will rain down' on them like 'nothing you have seen before'.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during a CBS News interview on Sunday that the airstrikes will persist until the Iran-backed militants 'no longer possess the ability' to attack international vessels.
The Houthis have consistently targeted global shipping in the Red Sea, sinking two ships as part of what they claim are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is at war with Hamas, another Iranian ally.
Rubio noted that in the past 18 months, the Houthis have directly attacked the US Navy 174 times and targeted commercial shipping 145 times using 'guided precision anti-ship weaponry'.
The attacks had ceased following a ceasefire in Gaza that was enacted in January.
Last week, the Houthis declared intentions to renew assaults against Israeli ships after Israel halted humanitarian aid to Gaza this month, though no vessels have reported any attacks since then.
Michael Waltz, Donald Trump's National Security Adviser, informed ABC News on Sunday that the airstrikes 'specifically targeted multiple Houthi leaders' and eliminated them, although he did not disclose their identities or provide evidence.
Marco Rubio also mentioned that several Houthi facilities had been destroyed.
Media reports indicated that the Houthis' political bureau announced they would retaliate to the US strikes and 'meet escalation with escalation'.
On Sunday, the militants claimed to have launched missiles and a drone at the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group.
In response to the US attack, the Houthis reportedly fired drones and at least one missile, with sources indicating that they launched 11 drones and at least one missile over approximately 12 hours, starting just after midnight local time in Yemen.
Despite these efforts, the carrier group remained unharmed as ten of the drones were intercepted by US Air Force fighter jets, and one was taken down by a Navy F/A-18 fighter jet. The missile fell into the water far from the vessel.
While the Donald Trump administration vowed to hold Iran accountable for the actions of the Houthis, Tehran denied any involvement in the attacks, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry stating that Washington could not 'dictate' its foreign policy.
