In a dramatic escalation, President Donald Trump ordered a series of powerful airstrikes on Houthi terrorist targets in Yemen, launching a bold military campaign to protect international shipping routes and reassert U.S. deterrence in the Red Sea region.
The offensive began on March 15 and continued for three consecutive days, targeting dozens of sites linked to the Iranian-backed Houthis. According to the Pentagon, the first wave of strikes hit 30 high-value Houthi positions, eliminating dozens of operatives. U.S. Central Command confirmed that precision strikes aimed to minimize civilian harm, despite conflicting reports from Houthi-run media.
President Trump made it clear that this was not a limited response. In a statement posted on Truth Social, he wrote, “To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!”
The Houthis, who have launched more than 100 attacks on commercial and military ships since late 2023, have caused major disruptions to global trade. Two ships were sunk, another hijacked, and at least four seafarers were killed. Egypt alone reported $800 million in monthly losses from Suez Canal traffic rerouted due to Houthi threats.
The strikes come in direct response to the Houthis’ intensified campaign in solidarity with Hamas during Israel’s war in Gaza. They also reflect Trump’s determination to reverse what he called former President Biden’s “pathetically weak” approach to the threat. Under Biden, the Houthis were delisted as a Foreign Terrorist Organization—a move Trump has now reversed.
“The Houthis are a proxy of Iran, plain and simple,” Trump declared. “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon as being fired by Iran, and Iran will be held fully responsible.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded with threats of his own, warning the U.S. could receive “severe slaps” if it continues what he called “malicious acts.” But Trump dismissed Tehran’s rhetoric, accusing Iran of not only backing but orchestrating the Houthi operations with weapons, funds, and intelligence.
Strikes against the Houthi rebels included the use of U.S. Navy carrier-based aircraft, with footage showing jets launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. U.S. warships also intercepted and shot down multiple drones aimed at the Truman Carrier Strike Group, successfully neutralizing the threat.
This latest show of force is already being felt across the region. Trump, flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, monitored operations from the White House situation room. A senior official noted, “President Trump is taking action to defend U.S. shipping assets and deter terrorist threats.”
The strikes follow an incident last month where the Houthis fired surface-to-air missiles at a U.S. F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper drone. Though both aircraft escaped unharmed, the message from Trump was unmistakable: the era of restraint is over.
With shipping costs surging, regional tensions rising, and Tehran watching closely, Trump has placed the full weight of American might behind a clear warning: terrorist threats will be crushed, and those who support them will face the consequences.
The Houthis—and their Iranian patrons—have been put on notice.
