Over the weekend, the United States intensified its military involvement in Yemen, conducting an estimated 47 aerial strikes across seven provinces. The attacks, which took place from Saturday to Sunday, resulted in the deaths of approximately 53 individuals. Among the areas affected was Sanaa, the Yemeni capital under Houthi control. This marked a significant escalation in hostilities, with President Donald Trump emphasizing that attacks from the Houthis would not be tolerated.
President Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, over the weekend, advocating for a more aggressive stance against the Houthis. He criticized Joe Biden's efforts against the group as "pathetically weak" and issued a stern warning to Iran, holding it accountable for any attacks carried out by the Houthis. "Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN," Trump wrote.
The US Department of Defence echoed Trump's sentiments, signaling that further Houthi aggression would be met with decisive action. Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for the Department, stated, "Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there."
The Houthis have been involved in a series of maritime attacks in the region, targeting nearly 100 vessels since November 2023 and sinking two. Their actions have heightened tensions and prompted a strong response from the United States. The Houthis are backed by Iran and are considered part of an informal "axis of resistance" supported by Tehran. In response to this ongoing support, Trump has been actively pressuring Iran to cease its backing of the Houthis.
Amidst these developments, Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that the US could resort to military action if a nuclear deal is not reached. This move aligns with Trump's broader strategy to push Iran closer to negotiations through military pressure. Colin Clarke, an analyst, noted, "Trump does hope to get the Ayatollah’s attention with this, and he does hope to use these strikes and potentially more in the coming days and weeks to push the Iranians closer to the table."
The Houthis have vowed to retaliate against Trump's actions. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the group's leader, declared that they would confront escalation with escalation. This raises concerns about the potential for further conflict in the region.
Despite the heightened tensions, the US maintains that its actions in Yemen are not aimed at regime change but rather at protecting American interests. Sean Parnell emphasized this point by stating, "This is also not an endless offensive. This is not about regime change in the Middle East. This is about putting American interests first."
Sabrina Singh, another spokesperson for the Department of Defense, expressed a desire to avoid broader conflict, stating, "We don’t want to see a regional war." However, given the current trajectory of events, the risk of further escalation remains significant.
