US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has vowed to continue the missile strikes on Yemen’s Houthis until their attacks stop. But the rebels promise further escalation.ConflictsYemen
Trump admin vows ‘unrelenting’ strikes on Houthis in Yemen
Dmytro Hubenko with AP, AFP, Reuters
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has vowed to continue the missile strikes on Yemen’s Houthis until their attacks stop. But the rebels promise further escalation.
This image taken from video provided by the US Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen on March 15, 2025
The US plans to continue its hits on the Houthis
The United States will continue to strike Yemen’s Houthi rebels until they end attacks on international shipping, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday.
“I want to be very clear, this campaign is about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence,” Hegseth said in an interview for the Fox Business broadcaster.
“The minute the Houthis say, ‘We’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting,” he added.
US President Donald Trump, posting on social media, also vowed to “use overwhelming lethal force” to end the Houthi attacks.
“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!” he wrote.
Trump added a warning to Iran, demanding that Tehran “immediately” end its support for the rebel group.
Trump orders strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.The Houthis reported explosions in areas under their control Saturday night and early Sunday. The Houthis say the United States has launched fresh strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah.
Earlier, the Yemeni rebel group claimed an attack on the US aircraft carrier Harry S Truman after pledging to meet “escalation with “escalation” following deadly US bombing on Yemen. The US denied the vessel was hit.
The rebels, who control parts of Yemen, say Saturday’s attacks killed more than 50 people, mostly women and children; US officials say the strikes “took out multiple” Houthi leaders.
Israeli forces continue attacks on Gaza despite a ceasefire with Hamas, killing at least 12 people including eight relief workers and a child in northern Beit Lahiya.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 48,572 Palestinians have been confirmed killed and 112,032 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza. Gaza’s Government Media Office has updated its death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble are presumed dead. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.