ALBAWABA - The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have announced that they launched a major attack on the U.S. aircraft carrier "USS Harry Truman", striking it with 18 missiles and drones. The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, described the assault as a significant operation, framing it as a direct response to U.S. airstrikes in Yemen.
Saree stated that the attack was a reaction to recent American airstrikes, which targeted multiple Yemeni provinces with over 47 bombings, leading to dozens of deaths and injuries. He further warned that the Houthis would continue to target naval vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea as long as the U.S. and its allies continued military actions against Yemen.
On Saturday, Houthi-affiliated media reported that U.S. forces launched more than 40 airstrikes on Sanaa, Saada, and Al-Bayda, resulting in at least 32 fatalities and over 100 injuries, with women and children among the victims.
Following the escalation, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to launch decisive and powerful strikes against the Houthis in response to their actions. Trump accused the Houthis of engaging in piracy, violence, and acts of terrorism, threatening global trade and security in the region.
The U.S. decision to escalate comes just days after the Houthis reimposed a blockade on Israeli-linked vessels operating in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and Gulf of Aden. The blockade was reinstated following Israel’s failure to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, after the Houthis had issued an ultimatum demanding aid be delivered.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have actively targeted Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, deploying missiles and drones as part of their support for Gaza during Israel’s military operations.
Additionally, the Houthis have launched intermittent strikes on Israel, including attacks on Tel Aviv, which prompted Israeli retaliatory airstrikes on what it claimed were Houthi military positions. The group had halted its operations after the Gaza ceasefire on January 19, 2025, but this latest escalation signals renewed hostilities and rising tensions in the region.
