Washington/Aden: The United States will persist in striking Yemen’s Houthis until they halt attacks on commercial shipping, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Sunday. His remarks come as the Iran-aligned group signaled potential escalation following a series of U.S. airstrikes that reportedly left dozens dead.
According to Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry, at least 53 people were killed in the U.S. strikes, marking the largest American military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January. A U.S. official told Reuters that the campaign could extend for weeks.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi responded on Sunday by declaring that his forces would target U.S. vessels in the Red Sea as long as the American military campaign continues. “If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation,” he said in a televised address.
The Houthi movement’s political bureau condemned the attacks as a “war crime,” while Russia urged Washington to halt its military actions.
U.S.-Houthi Confrontation Escalates
On Sunday, the Houthis claimed they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its warships in the Red Sea. However, the U.S. military reported that American warplanes intercepted and destroyed 11 Houthi drones, none of which came close to the Truman. Additionally, a missile was tracked splashing into the sea off the coast of Yemen, but it was not deemed a threat, a U.S. official confirmed.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Hegseth emphasized the U.S. stance: “The minute the Houthis say they will stop shooting at our ships, we will stop shooting at their drones. This campaign will end, but until then, it will be unrelenting.”
“This is about stopping the attacks on assets in that critical waterway, restoring freedom of navigation—a core national interest of the United States. Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long, and they better back off,” he added.
Iran Warns Against U.S. Escalation
The Houthis, who have controlled most of Yemen over the past decade, recently warned they would resume attacks on Israeli-linked vessels passing through the Red Sea unless Israel allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Their strikes on global shipping intensified after Israel’s conflict with Hamas erupted in late 2023, with the group stating it was acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Trump directly addressed Iran, the Houthis’ primary backer, demanding an immediate cessation of support for the group. “If Iran continues backing the Houthis and threatening the United States, America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it,” Trump warned.
Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, rejected U.S. claims that Tehran orchestrates Houthi actions. “The Houthis make their own decisions,” he stated. He also issued a warning: “We tell our enemies that if Iran is threatened, we will respond decisively and destructively.”
Global Reactions and Civilian Casualties
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged “utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities” in Yemen, warning that continued escalation could “fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilize Yemen and the region, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that Iran was ultimately responsible for enabling Houthi aggression. “There’s no way the Houthis could operate at this scale without Iran’s backing. This was a message to Iran: Stop supporting them, or you will also be held responsible for the attacks on global shipping and our Navy ships.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also urged the U.S. to de-escalate, emphasizing the “importance of diplomatic dialogue.”
According to Houthi spokesperson Anees Alsbahi, five children and two women were among the 53 people killed in the U.S. strikes, with an additional 98 injured. The Pentagon did not immediately comment on reports of civilian casualties, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the claims.
Widespread Impact of Strikes
Residents in Sanaa reported that the airstrikes targeted areas known to house Houthi leadership. “The explosions were violent, shaking the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children,” said Abdullah Yahia, a local resident.
Footage from Reuters showed emergency workers sifting through the rubble in Sanaa using cranes, bulldozers, and bare hands. In a local hospital, medics attended to the injured, including children, while bodies of casualties were laid out in the courtyard, wrapped in plastic sheets.
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Additional strikes hit Houthi military sites in Taiz, according to eyewitnesses, while another targeted a power station in Dahyan, resulting in a power outage, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported. Dahyan is frequently visited by Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
Disruptions to Global Trade
The ongoing Houthi attacks on commercial shipping have severely disrupted global trade, prompting the U.S. military to undertake an extensive and costly campaign to intercept their missiles and drones.
The Houthis had previously suspended their attacks when Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in January. However, on March 12, they declared their threat against Israeli-linked vessels would remain in effect until Israel allowed the delivery of humanitarian aid and food into Gaza.
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As tensions escalate, the U.S. has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safe passage through the Red Sea, setting the stage for a prolonged conflict unless diplomatic resolutions are reached.
