Yemen’s Iran-supported Houthi rebels announced on Tuesday that they conducted another strike against a US aircraft carrier group, marking their third such assault within 48 hours.
They stated this was in response to American military actions. The Houthi forces revealed on Telegram that they launched missiles and drones at the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group. They specified that this operation was their “third in the past 48 hours” and took place in the northern Red Sea region, as reported by AFP.
The escalation began on Saturday, when the United States launched a large-scale operation against Houthi targets across Yemen, including Sanaa, Saada, and other provinces. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, these strikes killed at least 53 people, including women and children, and injured around 100 others. US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed that the strikes “took out multiple Houthi leaders”, and President Donald Trump warned that “hell will rain down upon” the rebels if they continue targeting US forces or international shipping.
In response, the Houthis launched their first attack on the USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group on Sunday, firing missiles and drones. Despite Houthi claims, US officials downplayed the incident, stating they were “not tracking any successful strikes” on American vessels. That same day, Houthi media accused the US of additional overnight airstrikes, including an attack on a cotton ginning factory in Hodeida and the Galaxy Leader, an Israeli-linked vessel seized more than a year ago.
Following the allegations against US, the Houthis carried out a second assault on the USS Harry S. Truman within 24 hours, continuing their pledge to “meet escalation with escalation.” By Monday, the group announced a third attack, doubling down on its stance that these actions are a direct response to American aggression and a demonstration of solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.
Iran, a key backer of the Houthi movement, condemned the US airstrikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that Washington had “no authority” over Yemen or Tehran’s foreign policy and warned of “decisive responses” if hostilities continue. Meanwhile, the United Nations has called on all sides to cease military activity, warning that the escalation risks further destabilizing the region and worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched 136 attacks on military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, according to conflict monitoring group ACLED, forcing many global shipping companies to reroute their vessels. The group has warned that unless humanitarian aid to Gaza increases, they will “move to additional escalatory options.”
While Yemen’s internal conflict has largely been under a fragile ceasefire since 2022, the latest Houthi attacks and US retaliatory strikes threaten to reignite a broader regional conflict, with both sides signaling no intention of backing down.
