Houthis say 17 air strikes hit Yemen as rebels attack US, Israeli targets

Al Jazeera

26-03-2025

Several air strikes have hit northern Yemen, according to the Houthis, who said they carried out attacks on United States warships in the Red Sea and launched drones at military sites in Israel.
Houthi-affiliated media reported on Wednesday that at least 17 strikes hit Saada and Amran, blaming the US for the attacks.
The rebels' Ansarollah website said US warplanes carried out 'aggressive air raids … causing material damage to citizens' property', but gave no details of casualties.
According to Al Masirah TV, another Houthi-affiliated media outlet, some raids targeted the eastern part of Saada, as well as the Al Salem district, while two raids were conducted in the Sufyan district in the northwestern Amran province.
US fighter jets also carried out five strikes on the Sahar district, west of Saada, late on Tuesday night, it added.
In response, the Houthis said they launched attacks on US and Israeli military targets.
The Yemeni Armed Forces conducted two military operations, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said on X on Wednesday. The attacks included one on the US aircraft carrier, USS Harry S Truman, in the Red Sea, while another targeted Israeli military sites in Tel Aviv with drones.
'The confrontation and clashes continued for several hours,' Saree said, adding that the Houthis would continue to confront 'American aggression' and counter 'escalation with escalation'.
The Houthis are continuing to prevent Israeli navigation in the strategic waters off Yemen and would 'carry out operations against the Israeli enemy until the aggression stops and the blockade on the Gaza Strip is lifted', he added.
The US has been carrying out attacks on the impoverished country since March 15, killing at least 53 people and wounding dozens more, citing the Houthis' targeting last year of vessels in key shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and their support for Hamas during Israel's war on Gaza.
The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on shipping since the war on Gaza began in late 2023, saying they are targeting vessels linked to Israel and its allies in an act of solidarity with Gaza's Palestinians.
The Houthis paused their attacks as a ceasefire was enacted in the enclave in January. However, as the truce fell apart, the Yemeni group threatened to resume its campaign.
'US air strikes continue in Yemen as [the Houthis] retaliate amid escalating conflict,' said Al Jazeera's Mohammed al-Attab, reporting from Sanaa on Wednesday.
'The reality for many Yemenis remains bleak. The war ongoing since 2015 has plunged nearly 20 million people into poverty, with nearly seven million facing famine,' he said.
'Despite the devastation, many Yemenis remain resolute in their support for Gaza, believing that their sacrifices are necessary to pressure Israel into halting its military campaign and lifting its blockade. For them, standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people is a cause worth enduring hardship [for], even as their country grapples with relentless US strikes.'
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump renewed his call for Iran to end its support for the Houthis, pledging that the Yemeni group will be defeated by Washington.
While the Houthis are allied with Iran, it is not clear how much they rely on Iranian support or whether Tehran can order them to stop their attacks.