President Donald Trump ordered a powerful and decisive round of airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen on Saturday.
The U.S. military strikes—the first against the Houthis under Trump’s current presidency—killed at least 31 militants, according to rebel authorities in Yemen.
The strikes targeted terrorist bases, missile defenses, and command centers in multiple locations including the rebel-held capital Sanaa, as well as Saada, Al-Bayda, and Radaa.
Houthi officials claimed women and children were among the casualties, though U.S. Central Command described the operation as “precision strikes” intended solely to “defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”
President Trump’s announcement came through a fiery message on Truth Social, declaring, “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!”
Trump explicitly condemned former President Joe Biden’s approach as “pathetically weak,” blaming Biden’s leniency toward the Houthis for emboldening their violent campaign that has cost the global economy billions of dollars.
The strikes were ordered just weeks after the Houthis escalated their aggression by firing surface-to-air missiles at an American F-16 fighter jet.
Pentagon officials noted that although those missiles missed, the attacks represented a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to American lives. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell highlighted the severity of the threat, confirming the Houthis had attacked U.S. warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023.
In his statement, Trump also took aim at Iran, the Houthis’ primary backer, issuing a stern warning: “To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and we won’t be nice about it!”
Despite the strikes, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi vowed immediate retaliation, calling on his forces to escalate attacks against American and Israeli targets. Iran echoed these threats, with top Iranian officials condemning the U.S. action as a “gross violation” of international law.
Meanwhile, Hamas, the Palestinian terror group that the Houthis have supported with missile and drone attacks against Israel-linked ships, condemned the U.S. airstrikes as “an assault on sovereignty.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, insisting that continued aggression against American military and commercial vessels would no longer be tolerated. Moscow urged restraint, advocating for diplomatic dialogue to prevent further violence.
Trump’s tough approach marks a sharp departure from Biden-era policies, signaling a clear message to adversaries: threats against America and its global interests will face swift, decisive, and overwhelming force.