President Donald Trump announced today a major U.S. military offensive against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, vowing to crush their “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism” with “overwhelming lethal force.” In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump blasted the Biden administration’s “pathetically weak” response, claiming it let the Iran-backed group choke global shipping lanes, costing billions and imperiling lives.
“Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen,” Trump wrote, detailing attacks already underway on Houthi bases, leaders, and missile defenses. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.” He issued a stark ultimatum to the Houthis—“YOUR TIME IS UP”—and warned Iran to halt support or face severe consequences: “America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!”
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The move follows months of Houthi assaults on Red Sea shipping, including over a dozen strikes on a U.S. warship four months ago and a year-long drought of safe passage for U.S.-flagged commercial ships through the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden. Trump tied the chaos to economic havoc and threats to “Freedom of Navigation,” a cornerstone of global trade.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) kicked off the campaign today with precision airstrikes across Yemen, targeting Houthi missile systems, drone hubs, and air defenses. Fighter jets from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea joined the fray, hammering Sana’a and other strongholds. A U.S. official called it an “opening salvo,” hinting at days—or weeks—of sustained action, depending on Houthi pushback. Houthi-run media reported civilian casualties, claiming nine dead in Sana’a residential zones, though CENTCOM insists targets were military.
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The Houthis, who’ve disrupted shipping since late 2023 in solidarity with Gaza, vowed retaliation earlier this week, promising to resume attacks on Israeli and U.S.-linked vessels after Israel’s latest Gaza aid blockade. Saturday’s strikes mark Trump’s first big military play since retaking office, dwarfing Biden’s sporadic hits—like a January 8 bunker strike—and signaling a tougher stance.
Alongside the Yemen blitz, CENTCOM notched a win in Iraq. On March 13, a U.S. airstrike in Al Anbar Province killed Abu Khadija, ISIS’s global #2 and operations chief, alongside another operative. Both wore unexploded suicide vests; DNA confirmed Khadija’s identity. Days later, Iraqi forces nabbed his Chechen wife, Umm Hussein, and two other ISIS figures.
“One of the most important ISIS members globally,” said CENTCOM’s Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, vowing to keep dismantling terror networks.
Trump’s dual-front flex—blasting Houthis while lauding Iraq’s ISIS takedown—underscores a muscular reboot of U.S. policy. With Iran in the crosshairs and shipping lanes at stake, the Yemen operation could stretch longer and hit harder than planned, per sources familiar with the strategy. For now, Trump’s betting on shock and awe to reset the board—whether it works hinges on Tehran and the Houthis’ next moves.
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