The U.S. launched a series of airstrikes overnight targeting key Houthi positions in Yemen, hitting strongholds in Saada province and the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemeni sources said.
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that more than 10 airstrikes struck various locations, including the Al-Safra district of Saada, an area believed to house weapons storage facilities and training sites. Yemeni sources describe it as one of the group’s most heavily fortified military zones.
The strikes, part of Washington’s campaign against Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, mark the most extensive U.S. military operation in the region since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Houthi Leaders Vow Retaliation
The Iran-backed Houthis, who have launched over 100 attacks on commercial and military vessels since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in 2023, say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their actions have disrupted global trade and forced the U.S. into a costly effort to intercept missiles and drones.
Jamal Amer, the Houthi foreign minister, told Reuters from Sanaa on Monday:
“Yemen is now at war with the U.S., and we have the right to defend ourselves by all means. Escalation is inevitable.”
The Houthis are part of the “Axis of Resistance”, a regional coalition of Iran-backed militias, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iraqi armed groups, all opposing the U.S. and Israel.
President Trump has threatened direct retaliation against Iran if Houthi attacks continue. Meanwhile, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran had privately urged the Houthis to de-escalate tensions.
Houthi Leadership in Hiding
As U.S. airstrikes intensify, Yemeni sources report that top Houthi leaders have gone into hiding, cutting off communications to avoid detection. Many have discarded or turned off their phones as the U.S. expands its targeting of newly established military sites.
The only senior leader seen in public recently is Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the militia’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee. A video circulating on social media showed him disguised as a civilian on a bus before addressing supporters in Sanaa’s Sabeen Square.
Red Sea Tensions Escalate
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the resumption of airstrikes on Gaza, prompting the Houthis to threaten expanded attacks against Israel in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the group’s military spokesman claimed—without evidence—that they had targeted the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. A U.S. official confirmed on Sunday that U.S. warplanes shot down 11 Houthi drones, none of which posed a direct threat to the carrier.
With tensions continuing to rise, the U.S. and its allies remain on high alert for further Houthi retaliation.
