Houthis Claim Second Attack on US Ships Within 24 Hours

Photo : Reuters

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Monday that they attacked American warships two times in one day. They said they did this because the United States bombed Yemen.

First, the Houthis said they fired 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry Truman and other US Navy ships in the Red Sea. A few hours later, they said they attacked again.

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A Houthi leader wrote online that they attacked “because America keeps attacking our country.” The US has been bombing Yemen to stop the Houthis from hitting ships in the Red Sea. US President Donald Trump said America will use “very strong force” if needed.

The Houthi health department said US bombs on Saturday killed 53 people, including women and children, and hurt 98 others.

Later, Houthi news said the US bombed more places on Sunday night, including a cotton factory in Hodeida and an Israeli-owned ship called Galaxy Leader. The Houthis took this ship over a year ago.

Because of the attacks, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi told people to come out and protest on Monday. The United Nations asked both sides to stop fighting.

The Houthis have been attacking Israel and ships in the Red Sea during the Gaza war. They say they do this to support the people of Palestine. Before this weekend’s attack on the US ships, the Houthis had not attacked since January 19, when there was a short ceasefire in Gaza.

The Houthis said they started attacking again because Israel stopped sending food and supplies to Gaza. They warned they will make things worse if the US keeps attacking them.

Over the weekend, the US military bombed the Houthis. This was the first time since Trump became president again in January. A US official said the airstrikes killed some important Houthi leaders.

Trump later posted a message online warning the Houthis that “hell will rain down upon you.” He also told Iran to stop helping the Houthis, calling them “terrorists.”

The US military said it carried out a “big operation” against the Houthis and that they were still bombing them on Sunday night.

People in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, said they heard very loud explosions. The blasts broke windows and made houses shake.

Videos from Houthi news showed women and children hurt from the attacks. One video showed a young girl with blackened legs wrapped in bandages. She looked confused and scared.

The Houthis have closed off the bombed areas, so it is hard to know how much damage was done.

A man named Ahmed, who has lived in Sanaa for 10 years, said he had never felt anything like this before. “I have heard bombs before, but never like this. My family and I were very scared,” he said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has no right to tell Iran what to do. The Houthis also said they are “ready to fight back.”

A group that tracks conflicts said the Houthis have attacked warships, business ships, and Israeli places at least 136 times since October 19, 2023.

The Houthi attacks have made global trade more difficult. Normally, about 12% of the world’s shipping goes through the Red Sea. But many shipping companies are now taking longer routes around Africa to stay safe.

Hamas, the Palestinian group, supports the Houthis and said the US airstrikes are “an attack on Yemen’s rights.”

The head of Iran’s military, Hossein Salami, said Iran does not want war, but if anyone threatens them, they will fight back.

The US has already bombed Houthi areas many times before. Israel has also bombed Yemen, the last time being in December, after the Houthis fired missiles at Israel.

Yemen’s civil war has been mostly quiet since a ceasefire in 2022. But the Houthis’ new attacks on ships have made it harder to bring peace.

Years of war in Yemen have caused a serious crisis. Many people have died from bombs, sickness, and hunger.