Airstrikes on Houthi Targets in Sana
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump has authorized a series of airstrikes against Yemen’s capital, Sana, in an attempt to stop attacks on shipping along a critical maritime route by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The airstrikes, which occurred on Saturday, were characterized as an attempt to reassert freedom of navigation and safeguard American commercial and naval ships.
Trump’s Reason for the Attacks
“Our courageous Warfighters are currently conducting air strikes against the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defense to defend American shipping, air, and naval interests, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump announced on social media. He went further to warn Iran against supporting the Houthi rebels, threatening to hold the nation “fully accountable.”
This follows two weeks since Trump wrote a letter to Iran’s leaders providing a way to the return to negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, which America has long maintained must not culminate in the production of atomic bombs.
Civilian Deaths and Houthi Reaction
The airstrikes killed at least nine civilians, another nine were injured, according to Anees al-Asbahi, the Houthi-held Health Ministry spokesman.
Nasruddin Amer, the Houthi deputy head of their media office, criticized the assaults and threatened response. “Sana will never abandon Gaza or stop being its shield and defense, regardless of what difficulties exist,” he vowed in a statement posted on social media.
Context of the Houthi Threat in the Red Sea
The airstrikes follow the Houthis’ declaration that they will attack Israeli ships in retaliation against Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The group had already taken responsibility for attacking over 100 merchant vessels with drones and missiles, causing major economic disruptions and loss of lives.
International and Military Response
The U.S. has initiated earlier attacks on Houthi-controlled areas with Israel and Britain. This current series of strikes was, however, carried out by the United States alone, being the first major military intervention against the Houthis during Trump’s second term.
The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike force, comprising several Navy destroyers and a cruiser, was part of the operation. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been deployed to the area.
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Impact on Civilians and Regional Stability
Resident Sana reported several blasts in the city, specifically the northern district of Shouab. “The explosions were extremely powerful,” one local resident Abdallah al-Alffi said. “It felt like an earthquake.”
The attacks have also heightened tensions in an already destabilized region following Yemen’s long civil war. The Biden administration had also made similar strikes against Houthi attacks on shipping previously, but Trump’s latest action indicates a re-emergence of U.S. efforts to counter the activities of the rebel group.
Trump’s Comment on Economic and Security Issues
Speaking from his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump underscored the economic implications of Houthi aggression. “These incessant attacks have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, simultaneously, endangering innocent lives,” he said.
The Yemen situation is still in flux as America reiterates its military presence in the area, while the Houthis reiterate their desire to defy foreign forces.
