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The United States carried out a notable number of airstrikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen amid ongoing tensions over Red Sea shipping and the war in Gaza.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the Houthis—also known as Ansar Allah—are a Shiite rebel group that originated in northern Yemen during the 1990s and rose to prominence in 2014 after capturing the capital, Sanaa, and forcing out the internationally recognized government. Backed by Iran with weapons and funding, they’ve launched more than 100 attacks since November 2023 on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They claim these operations are aimed at vessels tied to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom, and are part of their show of solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has reinstated the Houthis’ designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and ordered a sweeping air campaign, now involving near-daily bombings of infrastructure intended to weaken their operational reach and cut off funding sources.
What’s going on now: Over the weekend, the United States significantly ramped up its military campaign in Yemen, launching a series of airstrikes across multiple Houthi-controlled regions. The strikes hit targets in Sanaa—including the Furwah neighborhood, a popular market in the Shoub district, and the Attan and Asir areas—as well as strategic sites in Marib, Hodeidah, and the Houthi stronghold of Saada. One of the most notable attacks occurred at the Ras Isa oil terminal, a facility on Yemen’s Red Sea coast that the US claimed was being used by the Houthis to generate illicit revenue and fund their military operations. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, that strike alone killed at least 74 people and injured 171 others, many of whom were civilian workers and emergency responders.
In total, Houthi officials report that over 200 people have been killed since the US offensive intensified in March, with dozens more injured just this past weekend. The Houthi health ministry stated that many of the casualties were civilians and labeled the strikes as “war crimes,” particularly condemning the attack on Ras Isa as a deliberate targeting of a non-military facility.
US Central Command acknowledged the operations, arguing that the objective was to degrade the Houthis’ ability to continue attacks on international shipping and to cut off their economic lifelines. The US has not confirmed casualty numbers but emphasized the strategic necessity of the strikes.
This comes as UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “gravely concerned” about the rising civilian death toll and urged both the United States and the Houthis to deescalate immediately.
