President Donald Trump on Monday said that further attacks or retaliation by the Houthis would be considered an attack by Iran and it would face “dire” consequences.
The Houthis attempted an attack on aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and its escorts in response to a series of Saturday U.S. attacks on targets in Yemen, according to the group.
In a post on X, Houthi spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sare’e claimed the Iran-backed group used 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as one drone, to attack the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the northern Red Sea. U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the attacks from USNI News.
It is the first time the Houthis have claimed an attack on American warships since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel went into effect on Jan. 19. A senior defense official told Fox News on Sunday that U.S. warships had shot down a dozen attack drones headed to the strike group since the strikes, and the strike group had been unaffected, according to a post on X.
U.S. Central Command forces launched a series of attacks on Houthi territory in Yemen Saturday, the first strikes since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel went into effect.
CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue… pic.twitter.com/DYvc3gREN8
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
The U.S. attacks were meant to deter the Houthis and Iran, as well as defend American ships, according to a post from the Department of Defense.
“President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats. For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency,” the White House posted on X.
he Trump administration is taking a “Peace through Strength” approach, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.
“The minute the Houthis say we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones, this campaign will end, but until then, it will be unrelenting,” Hegseth said on Fox News.
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi announced in a Sunday speech that the group will now target American ships as long as the U.S. continues to strike Houthi territory, according to a Houthi-run news site.
The Houthis pushed back against the Trump administration, with a spokesperson disputing President Trump’s claims that the group is a threat to ships in the region.
“The U.S. president’s claims about the threat to international navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait are false and misleading to international public opinion. The naval blockade declared by Yemen in support of Gaza is limited to Israeli shipping until humanitarian aid is delivered to the people of Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian resistance and the enemy entity. The Yemeni blockade came after a four-day grace period was granted to mediators,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on X.
A breakdown of the Houthi-US violence
The US killed at least 53 people, according to reports. Houthis have responded with attacks on US warships.
What happened in Yemen?
The US has bombed Yemen for two nights in a row now, claiming to be targeting Houthi leaders.
The result on the ground has been the death of 53 people so far, including children. Nearly 100 other people have been injured in the attacks.
Where were the attacks?
US attacks have hit Sanaa – the capital city controlled by the Houthis – and its surrounds, as well as the northern governorate of Saada and the port of Hodeidah.
Who’s being targeted?
US officials say they are targeting Houthi leaders.
The Houthis, however, say children were among the killed and circulated photos of the alleged victims.
“[Trump’s] strikes were very clearly going after Houthi leadership, and didn’t seem to care if any civilians got in the way,” Nick Brumfield, an independent Yemen analyst, told Al Jazeera. “The strikes in Sanaa targeted a residential neighbourhood known to house a lot of Houthi leaders.”
The US says it will bomb Yemen until the Houthis stop, with President Donald Trump claiming that the Houthis had “targeted our Troops and Allies”.
Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have also claimed that Iran is behind the Houthis’ actions and that it was now “on notice”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he had coordinated the attacks on Yemen with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
Did the Houthis hit back?
The Houthis claimed two attacks on the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman and its warships. US officials speaking anonymously to media outlets denied that any attack took place.
The Houthis denounced the the US and the United Kingdom, which did not partake in the actual bombing but helped with refuelling, according to the BBC.
Houthi spokespeople pledged retaliation for the US attacks.