This evening, US officials confirmed that the United States had carried out an airstrike targeting the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The strike, which is said to be part of an ongoing campaign, focused on disabling Houthi defense systems, including missile and drone technologies. According to Al Arabiya, the attacks are seen as the beginning of an intensified military response to the Houthi’s threats to escalate assaults on vessels in the Red Sea. The same outlet reported earlier that the Houthi’s Al Masirah TV station had announced a strike on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
The Health Ministry of Yemen reported on Saturday night that initial reports indicated the US airstrike in Sanaa resulted in 13 fatalities and left nine others wounded. The strike is a significant part of the ongoing conflict in the region, with serious casualties.
US President Donald Trump addressed the situation, stating: “Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones.”
Trump also criticized the previous administration’s response, remarking, “Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a US-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last American warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our troops and allies. These relentless assaults have cost the US and world economy many BILLIONS of dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk.”
Trump made it clear that the US would not tolerate attacks on its vessels, stating: “The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important waterways of the world, grinding vast swaths of global commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of freedom of navigation upon which international trade and commerce depends.”
Trump then emphasized the military’s active role in addressing the threat: “Our brave warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the waterways of the world.”
The president issued a stern warning to the Houthi rebels, saying: “To all Houthi terrorists, your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don’t, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before!”
Lastly, Trump directed a message to Iran, demanding an end to their support for the Houthis: “To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American people, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in presidential history, or worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!”
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