Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for two attacks on a U.S. aircraft carrier group within 24 hours, calling the strikes retaliation for deadly U.S. airstrikes in Yemen. The Houthis initially reported launching 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships in the Red Sea, later asserting that a second round of strikes followed shortly after. The U.S. has yet to comment on the rebels’ claims.
This escalation comes as the death toll from the U.S. strikes in Yemen continues to rise. Yemen’s Health Ministry confirmed that 53 people, including five children, were killed in the first airstrikes under President Donald Trump’s administration. The strikes, which took place on Saturday, also left 98 individuals wounded. Ministry spokesperson Anis Al-Asbahi posted on social media, providing the updated casualty figures.
In a statement posted to Telegram, a Houthi spokesperson justified the attacks on the U.S. carrier group as retaliation for what they called “continued American aggression” against Yemen. The U.S. government has stated its intent to continue airstrikes until the Houthis cease their attacks on Red Sea shipping, with Trump vowing to use “overwhelming lethal force” if necessary.
The Houthis have also accused the U.S. of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a cotton ginning factory in the western region of Hodeida, and the Galaxy Leader, an Israeli ship that the rebels seized more than a year ago. Amid these escalations, Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi called for mass demonstrations across Yemen today to express defiance against the ongoing conflict.
The United Nations has called for both sides to halt all military activity in the region, warning of further instability in the vital maritime trade route. Meanwhile, China has urged both parties to de-escalate tensions, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stressing that China opposes any actions that could worsen the situation in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have previously targeted Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes, claiming these attacks were carried out in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. However, the latest strikes on the U.S. carrier group mark a significant escalation after a period of relative calm following a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip that began on January 19.
Before these latest attacks, the Houthis had not claimed any strikes in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden since January. The group stated that they resumed their offensive due to Israel halting humanitarian aid to Gaza and warned of further escalation if U.S. aggression continues.
The weekend’s U.S. strikes were the first since Trump’s return to the White House in January. U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed that the strikes targeted key Houthi leaders. President Trump issued a stern warning to the Houthis, saying, “Hell will rain down upon you” if they continue their attacks.
