DayofPal– US fighter jets have launched a series of airstrikes across Yemen, killing at least 32 people and injuring over 100, marking the latest escalation in the war following President Donald Trump’s warnings.
The air raids targeted Yemen’s capital Sanaa and several provinces, including Saada and Al-Bayda. According to the Houthi-run Health Ministry, the raids have left at least 101 people injured, with the majority of casualties reported as women and children.
In Saada, four children and a woman were among the dead. Residents of Sanaa reported hearing powerful explosions, with one local describing the experience as “like an earthquake.”
The US strikes came as Houthi threats against Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis had vowed to resume attacks on ships, citing Israel’s blockade on Gaza and the continuation of violation of Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Prior to the assault, Trump posted on social media a statement warning the Houthis to stop their threats despite that none of the them have been launched.
“If they don’t, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before,” Trump declared, threatening the use of “overwhelming lethal force” against the group.
He also demanded that Iran immediately cease its support of the Houthis and warned that America would hold Iran “fully accountable.”
Iran has condemned the US strikes, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that Washington had no authority to dictate its foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged all parties to refrain from using force and called for dialogue to avoid further bloodshed in Yemen.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have yet to launch any attacks on shipping, despite their previous threats. They have accused the US of exaggerating the danger to international shipping to manipulate public opinion.
A spokesperson for the Houthis said that their maritime embargo was solely aimed at Israeli vessels, not international navigation.
In response to the US attacks, the Houthi group promised retaliation, calling the airstrikes a “war crime.” They have pledged to escalate their military actions and warned that the strikes would not go unanswered.
The Houthis previously launched over 100 attacks targeting shipping vessels since November 2023, disrupting global commerce as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza.
Nabeel Khoury, a former US diplomat, has criticized Trump’s military response, suggesting that the president’s approach may be misguided.
“There is no military or political logic behind this,” Khoury stated, adding that it is highly unlikely that military action will defeat the Houthis, who are entrenched in the mountainous terrain of Yemen.
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