Washington, D.C. – March 15, 2025, 12:11 PM PDT
President Donald Trump announced today that he has ordered the United States military to initiate "decisive and powerful military action" targeting Houthi forces in Yemen. The announcement, made via a statement on Truth Social at approximately 11:30 AM PDT, marks the first significant military operation against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels under Trump’s second administration, signaling a robust shift in U.S. policy toward the ongoing conflict in the region.
"Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen," Trump wrote. "They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones." He emphasized that the strikes, which are reportedly underway, target Houthi bases, leadership, and missile defenses, aiming to protect American shipping interests and restore freedom of navigation in critical global waterways, including the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The operation follows months of Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels, which have disrupted international trade and heightened tensions in the strategically vital region. Trump sharply criticized the previous administration, stating, "Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going." He noted that it has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely transited the Suez Canal, Red Sea, or Gulf of Aden, underscoring the economic toll of the Houthi campaign, which he claimed has cost the U.S. and global economy "many billions of dollars."
In a stern warning to Iran, the Houthis' primary backer, Trump declared, "Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!" This rhetoric suggests the administration may be preparing to broaden its focus beyond Yemen to address Iran’s role in the conflict.
U.S. defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the strikes began earlier today, with initial reports indicating significant activity in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other Houthi-controlled areas. Local sources reported numerous explosions around 1:30 PM ET (10:30 AM PDT), aligning with Trump’s assertion that American warfighters are "right now carrying out aerial attacks." The operation is said to involve warships and jets from the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, currently deployed in the Red Sea, targeting radars, air defense systems, and missile sites.
The strikes represent a departure from the Biden administration’s approach, which involved periodic operations to degrade Houthi capabilities but stopped short of targeting the group’s leadership or launching a sustained campaign. Trump’s directive to use "overwhelming lethal force" until the Houthis cease their attacks indicates a more aggressive posture, though the duration and scope of the offensive remain unclear. Some national security aides reportedly advocate for an even broader campaign to dismantle Houthi control over northern Yemen, though Trump has not yet authorized such a strategy.
The move has elicited mixed reactions. Proponents, including Yemen’s vice president of the U.N.-recognized government, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, have praised Trump’s decisive leadership, viewing it as a pivotal step to curb Houthi aggression and Iran’s influence. Critics, however, warn of potential humanitarian fallout in Yemen, already ravaged by a decade-long civil war and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Aid organizations, such as Oxfam, expressed concern that escalated military action, coupled with the recent re-designation of the Houthis as a "foreign terrorist organization" in January, could further disrupt vital imports of food, medicine, and fuel, exacerbating the plight of Yemen’s 19 million people in need of assistance.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely. The Houthis have yet to issue an official response to today’s strikes, though their history of resilience suggests they may retaliate. Meanwhile, Trump’s ultimatum to the group—"YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY"—sets the stage for a high-stakes confrontation that could reshape U.S. engagement in the Middle East and test the administration’s resolve in upholding its hardline stance.
This is a developing story, and further updates are expected as the military operation progresses and its impacts become clearer.
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