In a decisive move, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday that U.S. airstrikes in Yemen are specifically aimed at dismantling the capabilities of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. These strikes are focused on preventing the group from launching attacks on global shipping routes and U.S. military assets. Rubio emphasized the global importance of this mission, stating, "We're doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping."
President Trump confirmed the airstrikes on Saturday, asserting that the United States would employ "overwhelming lethal force" until the Houthis cease their aggressive actions against shipping. The U.S. Central Command has also verified the strikes via social media, indicating that the military is prepared to extend operations against the Houthis for several weeks, contingent on the group's response as well as Iran's involvement, as reported by CBS News.
In a significant policy shift, Trump signed an executive order in January re-designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. While the Houthis were initially labeled as a terrorist group in January 2021, former President Joe Biden lifted this designation shortly thereafter, citing concerns over humanitarian aid to Yemen. However, the Biden administration later categorized the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terror Group in 2024.
The recent airstrikes are particularly critical as the Houthis have been disrupting traffic in a vital Red Sea transit point for global shipping for several months. The Houthi group had recently announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli ships in retaliation for Israel's blockade of aid to Gaza. Rubio pointed out that the U.S., alongside Israel and the United Kingdom, has conducted strikes on Houthi-held territories in Yemen previously, but he stressed that this current round of strikes is not merely a one-time response.
"This is not a message," Rubio declared. "This is an effort to deny them the ability to continue to constrict and control shipping." He highlighted that over the last 18 months, the Houthis have launched attacks on 174 naval vessels belonging to the United States, as well as 145 assaults on commercial shipping. "We basically have a band of pirates, you know, with guided precision anti-ship weaponry," Rubio remarked, underscoring the unsustainable nature of this situation in one of the world's most crucial shipping lanes.
When asked about the duration of the military campaign, Rubio indicated that operations would persist until the Houthis are stripped of their capability to launch such attacks. He noted that there has been no discussion of ground raids at this time, suggesting that their current strategy does not necessitate such measures.
As of Saturday night, Rubio reported that key figures involved in missile launches have been neutralized, and important facilities used by the Houthis have been destroyed. "We're not going to have people sitting around with the missiles attacking the U.S. Navy," he assured. "It's not going to happen. Not under President Trump."
