The United States intensified its military operations in Yemen with fresh airstrikes on Monday, targeting the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and Al Jawf governorate, north of Sanaa, according to the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV.
This marks the most extensive U.S. military engagement in the region since Donald Trump assumed office in January.
The strikes are part of Washington’s response to the Houthi movement’s continued threats to international shipping.
A new wave of airstrikes had already been launched on Saturday. The Houthi-run health ministry reported that at least 53 people were killed, including five children and two women, while 98 others were injured. Spokesperson Anees Alsbahi shared these details on X.
The Houthis, who have gained control over much of Yemen in the past decade, have carried out multiple attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, significantly impacting global trade.
The ongoing U.S. effort to intercept their missile and drone attacks has put a strain on American air defense stockpiles.
According to a U.S. official, the military campaign might extend for weeks as Washington increases pressure on Iran while seeking negotiations over its nuclear program.
Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, warned that his group would target U.S. ships in the Red Sea if the attacks on Yemen persisted.
“If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation,” he declared in a televised address.
Denouncing the airstrikes as a “war crime,” the Houthis’ political bureau condemned the U.S. action, while Russia called on Washington to halt the attacks.
In a televised statement on Monday, the Houthis’ military spokesman, without presenting evidence, claimed they had launched a second strike on the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea.
However, a U.S. official told Reuters that U.S. warplanes intercepted 11 Houthi drones on Sunday, none of which came near the Truman.
The official also reported that U.S. forces tracked a missile that fell into the sea off Yemen’s coast.
Elsewhere in the region, Israel has dealt significant blows to Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hezbollah and Hamas.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Hezbollah joined the conflict the following day, initiating hostilities against Israel.
Throughout the war, Israel successfully eliminated many top leaders from both groups before reaching ceasefires—first with Hezbollah in November and later with Hamas in January.
However, the Hamas truce has faced setbacks due to mutual accusations of violations. The collapse of another Iranian ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in December further weakened Iran’s influence.
Despite these setbacks for Iran, the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq remain active. Since late 2023, the Houthis have launched repeated attacks on shipping lanes, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
They have also targeted Israel with missiles and drones, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes on their assets in Yemen.
Although the Houthis had paused their attacks when Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in January, they recently announced their intent to resume targeting Israeli ships unless Israel lifts its blockade on aid to Gaza.
Israel, in turn, has justified the blockade as leverage to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.
Former U.S. President Trump, who previously ordered attacks on the Houthis, has issued a stern warning to Iran, demanding an end to its support for the group.
“If Iran threatened the U.S.,” Trump stated, “America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander, Hossein Salami, dismissed claims that Tehran controls the Houthis, stating that they act independently.
“We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats,” Salami told state media.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated Washington’s commitment to defending shipping routes in the region.
“The minute the Houthis say we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones. This campaign will end, but until then it will be unrelenting,” he told Fox News.
Emphasizing the strategic importance of protecting global trade, Hegseth accused Iran of enabling the Houthis for far too long.
“They better back off,” he warned.
