The Houthis have officially announced a significant military operation involving the launch of 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, alongside drones, aimed at the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier and its accompanying naval vessels in the northern Red Sea. This attack occurred on Sunday and has raised alarms regarding the ongoing tensions in the region.
According to Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree, this aggressive move was a direct response to over 47 US airstrikes authorized by then-President Donald Trump targeting areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen, particularly the capital Sanaa and the province of Saada, which shares a border with Saudi Arabia. Saree emphasized that the Yemeni Armed Forces will not shy away from targeting all American warships in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea as a form of retaliation for what they term as aggression against their country.
Both Washington and the Houthis have issued warnings regarding the potential for further escalation following the recent US airstrikes. These strikes were aimed at deterring Houthi rebels from launching attacks on military and commercial vessels in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The Houthis have a history of targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, having previously sunk two vessels. They justified these actions as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza during the ongoing conflict with Hamas, another group backed by Iran.
Notably, these Houthi attacks ceased when a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19, just a day before Trump’s inauguration. However, in a recent declaration, the Houthis stated their intention to resume attacks on Israeli vessels following Israel's imposition of a blockade on Gaza, which has severely restricted humanitarian aid.
In response to the escalating situation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the media on Sunday, asserting, “We’re not going to have these people controlling which ships can go through and which ones cannot.” He further stated that the US would continue its military operations until the Houthis no longer possess the capability to threaten maritime security. Rubio highlighted that the strikes planned by the current administration would differ significantly from the previous one-off attacks under the Biden administration.
The Houthi-run health ministry reported a tragic toll from the US airstrikes conducted on Saturday, claiming at least 53 fatalities, including five women and two children. Additionally, they indicated that over 100 individuals were wounded, with many sustaining critical injuries in Sanaa and Saada. These strikes represent some of the most extensive military actions against the Houthis since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.
On Saturday, Trump vowed to employ “overwhelming lethal force” until the Iran-backed group halts its attacks on the vital maritime corridor, warning the Iranian government that it would be held “fully accountable” for the actions of its regional proxies, including the Houthis. However, on Sunday, Iran refuted any claims of involvement in the Houthi attacks. General Hossein Salami, head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, stated through state-run media that Tehran does not dictate the operational policies of the militant groups allied with it across the region.
The situation in the Red Sea continues to be precarious, with the potential for further military confrontations escalating. The international community is closely monitoring the developments as both the US and the Houthis navigate this complex and dangerous landscape.
