U.S. Intensifies Military Action in Yemen Amidst Escalating Red Sea Tensions
Dubai, March 17 (Reuters) – The United States has broadened its military operations in Yemen, launching a series of airstrikes that mark the most significant U.S. military intervention in the Middle East since President Donald Trump assumed office in January. According to Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, the strikes, which began on Saturday and continued into Monday, target Houthi positions in response to the group’s persistent threats to international shipping in the Red Sea.
The latest wave of airstrikes hit the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and the Al Jawf governorate, located north of the capital Sanaa, according to Al Masirah. These actions come as the Houthis, an Iran-aligned armed movement controlling much of Yemen for the past decade, have launched numerous attacks on commercial vessels traversing the Red Sea since November 2023, causing significant disruptions to global trade.
Casualty figures reported by Anees Alsbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry, indicate a grim toll. Alsbahi stated on X that at least 53 people have been killed in the attacks, including five children and two women, while 98 others have been injured.
The U.S. military’s campaign to counter Houthi missile and drone attacks has reportedly depleted U.S. air defense stockpiles. A U.S. official, speaking to Reuters, suggested that the airstrikes might continue for several weeks. This military escalation coincides with Washington’s efforts to increase sanctions pressure on Iran, while simultaneously attempting to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear program.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi responded to the U.S. actions with a threat to target U.S. ships in the Red Sea as long as the U.S. continues its attacks on Yemen. In a televised address on Sunday, he warned, "If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation." The Houthi movement’s political bureau has condemned the U.S. attacks as a "war crime," and Moscow has urged Washington to cease its military operations.
Adding to the escalating rhetoric, a Houthi military spokesman claimed in a televised statement on Monday that the group had launched a second attack against the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea, though no evidence was provided.
The regional context of the conflict is complex, with Israel’s actions weakening a significant portion of Iran’s "Axis of Resistance" against U.S. influence in the Middle East. This includes Lebanese Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, following the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023. The assassinations of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, as well as the potential fall of another Iranian ally, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, have dealt blows to Iran’s regional influence.
However, the Houthis, known for their resilience and defiance during years of a Saudi-led bombing campaign in the Yemeni civil war, remain a potent force. They continue to operate alongside pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.
The Houthis had previously stated that they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel did not lift its blockade on aid entering Gaza. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in late 2023, the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on shipping, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
President Trump has issued a warning to Iran, the Houthis’ primary backer, demanding an immediate halt to support for the group. He warned that if Iran threatened the U.S., "America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!" In response, Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, asserted that the Houthis make their own decisions. He warned Iran’s enemies that "Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats."
U.S. warplanes reportedly shot down 11 Houthi drones on Sunday, none of which posed a threat to the USS Harry S. Truman, according to a U.S. official. U.S. forces also tracked a missile that splashed down off the coast of Yemen.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in an interview on Fox News, stated, "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 emphasized that reopening freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is a core national interest for the U.S., and that Iran has been "enabling the Houthis for far too long." He concluded with a strong message: "They better back off."
The Houthis had temporarily suspended their attacks when Israel and Hamas agreed to a Gaza ceasefire in January. However, on March 12, they declared that their threat to attack Israeli ships would remain in effect until Israel reapproved the delivery of aid and food into Gaza.
The increased U.S. military involvement in Yemen underscores the growing instability in the region and the complexities of the ongoing conflict. The situation presents a delicate balancing act for the U.S., as it seeks to deter Houthi aggression, protect international shipping, and simultaneously manage its relationship with Iran amidst ongoing nuclear negotiations.
