Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a barrage of 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones, targeting the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its accompanying warships in the northern Red Sea on Sunday. The attack, announced by Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree, came just one day after President Donald Trump ordered a massive wave of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and Saada province near the Saudi border. Saree called the assault a direct retaliation for what he described as “American aggression,” vowing that the group would target all U.S. warships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea until the strikes cease.
The U.S. airstrikes on Saturday, numbering over 47 according to Houthi reports, were among the deadliest since the Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023. The Houthi-run Health Ministry claimed the attacks killed at least 53 people, including five women and two children, and injured over 100 others, with more than a dozen in critical condition. U.S. officials stated the strikes aimed to cripple the Houthis’ ability to attack military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, a critical global shipping lane where the group has sunk two ships since November 2023. The Pentagon has not yet commented on the Houthi missile attack, though previous claims of strikes on U.S. naval assets have been dismissed as unverified.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, justify their maritime campaign as solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas. Their attacks on shipping paused during an Israel-Hamas ceasefire that began January 19, 2025—coinciding with Trump’s inauguration on January 20—but resumed last week after Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza, halting humanitarian aid. Saree reiterated on Sunday, “The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to respond to any escalation with further escalation.”
President Trump, addressing the nation on Saturday, promised “overwhelming lethal force” to neutralize the Houthi threat, warning Iran—widely seen as the group’s patron—that he would hold Tehran “fully accountable” for its proxies’ actions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this stance on Sunday, telling reporters, “We’re not going to let these people dictate which ships can pass through the Red Sea. This will continue until they no longer have the means to do it.” Rubio distinguished the current strategy from the Biden administration’s limited strikes, signaling a more sustained campaign.
Iran, however, distanced itself from the Houthi offensive. General Hossein Salami, head of the Revolutionary Guard, said on state media Sunday that Tehran “plays no role in shaping the policies or operations” of its regional allies, including the Houthis. The denial comes amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, with Trump’s administration signaling a tougher line against Tehran’s influence.
The latest escalation has deepened fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. The United Nations urged all parties to exercise restraint, warning that further violence could exacerbate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, already one of the world’s worst after a decade of civil war. Analysts note that while U.S. strikes have damaged Houthi infrastructure, they have yet to deter the group’s defiance, casting doubt on whether military action alone can secure the Red Sea.
