Houthis Claim Back-To-Back Strikes On US Carrier Group In Retaliation

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis rebels have claimed responsibility for two separate attacks on a US aircraft carrier group within 24 hours, following deadly American airstrikes on their territory.

According to Houthi statements, drones and missiles were fired at the USS Harry S. Truman and its escorting warships in the Red Sea as a response to what they call continued US aggression.

The Houthis initially announced that 18 missiles and a drone were launched toward the US carrier group. Hours later, they claimed a second round of attacks on the same target.

A Houthi spokesperson posted on Telegram, stating that these actions were in retaliation for recent US military strikes on Yemen. The US government has not yet responded to the Houthis’ claims of attacking the aircraft carrier.

However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that a large-scale military operation was underway against the Houthis, with attacks targeting their leadership and military capabilities.

On Saturday, March 16, 2025, US forces carried out airstrikes across multiple Houthi-controlled areas, killing 53 people including five children and two women and injuring 98 others, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.

US President Donald Trump has ordered continued military action against the group, warning that the US will keep striking until the Houthis stop attacking Red Sea shipping.

He has threatened the rebels with “overwhelming lethal force” and accused them of “a campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism” targeting American, allied, and commercial vessels.

Trump also issued a warning to Iran demanding that Tehran stop supporting the Houthi rebels. The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, responded that Iran does not seek war but will respond decisively if threatened.

Houthi-affiliated media sources reported that more explosions were heard in Yemen’s Hodeida region on Sunday night, claiming that the US military had targeted a cotton ginning factory and the Galaxy Leader, an Israeli-linked ship that the Houthis captured over a year ago.

Reports from Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, described intense airstrikes, with witnesses stating that explosions shattered windows and shook homes.

One resident, who has lived in Sanaa for a decade, described the bombing as “the most terrifying attack” they had ever experienced.

The United Nations has urged both the US military and Houthi rebels to halt military operations. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric expressed concern over both the US airstrikes and the Houthis’ continued threats to target vessels in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, Palestinian militant group Hamas condemned the US airstrikes, calling them “a violation of international law” and an attack on Yemen’s sovereignty and stability.

According to data from ACLED, a conflict-monitoring organisation, the Houthis have launched at least 136 attacks on warships, commercial vessels and Israeli-linked targets since October 19, 2023.

References: NDTV, WION News

Source: Maritime Shipping News