American Forces Target Houthi Sites in Yemen as Tensions Resurface

Airstrikes by the U.S. military hit Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Saturday, the first time in more than three months. The airstrikes happened after the group backed by Iran said it would attack ships again in the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

In reaction to the war between Israel and Gaza, Houthi forces started attacking commercial ships in October 2023. They said they would stop trade until Israel stopped its military operations. The U.S. Navy has been on defense dozens of times since then, shooting down drones and missiles and attacking Houthi facilities many times from the air.

Former President Donald Trump said in a message on Truth Social that he had ordered the "decisive and powerful" strikes and called the Houthis terrorists. On X (formerly Twitter), the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared video of fighter jets taking off from the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and warships firing missiles.

Thirteen people were killed in the strikes in Sana'a, which is the centrall city of Yemen. This was reported by Al Jazeera. However, CENTCOM has not said how bad the damage is or how many targets were hit.

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Before the strikes, the seas around Yemen were mainly calm, but things got worse when Houthi leaders said on March 7 that they would start attacking again if Israel didn't stop blocking aid shipments to Gaza.

The United States and its partners have attacked Houthi positions from the air all through 2024, especially in Sana'a and other key areas. New attacks mean there will be more fighting in the area, making people worry that the conflict in the Red Sea is getting worse.

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