US Claims 800 Houthi Targets Struck After Weeks of Airstrikes

The US military announced it has struck more than 800 targets since beginning sustained air and naval operations against Yemen’s Houthi movement on 15 March. In a statement issued Sunday summarizing recent developments, US Central Command reported that hundreds of Houthi fighters and several Houthi leaders had been killed in these strikes.

Washington maintains that its military campaign is aimed at neutralizing the threat the Iran-backed Houthis pose to international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis, who control significant areas of Yemen, claim that the latest US strike on the capital, Sanaa, killed at least eight people, including women and children. Earlier this month, the Houthi-controlled health ministry said that US airstrikes along a Red Sea coastal region under their control killed at least 74 people and injured 171 others.

Last month, President Donald Trump ordered a large-scale offensive targeting Houthi-controlled areas and warned that the group would be "completely annihilated" if their attacks continued. Trump also issued a stern warning to Iran, urging it to cease any support to the Houthis—something Tehran has repeatedly denied.

The US military said on Sunday that weapons storage and manufacturing facilities were among the targets destroyed but added that it would not provide specific details about ongoing operations. It stressed that the US would "continue to ratchet up the pressure" until Houthi attacks on commercial vessels cease.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on merchant ships using missiles, drones, and small boats in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These attacks have resulted in the sinking of two ships, the seizure of a third vessel, and the deaths of four crew members. The Houthis claim their actions are in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. However, they have often falsely asserted that they only target ships linked to Israel, the US, or the UK.

Despite the deployment of Western naval forces last year to safeguard commercial shipping routes, the Houthis have not been deterred. Multiple rounds of US strikes under former President Joe Biden also failed to halt their attacks.

Upon assuming office in January, President Trump redesignated the Houthis as a "Foreign Terrorist Organisation," reversing a move made by the Biden administration, which had removed the designation citing concerns over Yemen’s humanitarian situation.

Over the past decade, Yemen has endured a devastating civil war, igniting when the Houthis seized control of the country’s northwest from the internationally recognized government. A Saudi-led coalition, backed by US support, intervened to restore the government’s authority. The conflict has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with reports suggesting more than 150,000 people have been killed. Additionally, 4.8 million people have been displaced, and approximately 19.5 million—around half of Yemen’s population—are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.