The White House released photos of President Donald Trump watching strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Saturday as part of a large-scale U.S. operation against the terrorist group. Trump, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, were seen monitoring the strikes in the photos. Trump was dressed in golf attire and his signature red baseball cap while watching the strikes on a television screen. Trump announced that he had ordered the U.S. military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthis to defend U.S. assets and restore navigational freedom.
The U.S. Central Command initiated a series of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated that Secretary Rubio had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to inform Russia of the military operations against the Houthis and emphasize that continued attacks on U.S. military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea would not be tolerated. The U.S. has accused Iran of providing military aid to the Houthis, who have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea and launched attacks on Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Trump charged that the Houthis have engaged in piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones. He criticized the previous Biden administration for having a weak response to the attacks, allowing the Houthis to continue their assault. Trump warned the Houthis and Iran that their attacks must stop immediately, or they would face overwhelming lethal force. The U.S., Israel, and Britain have previously targeted Houthi-held areas in Yemen, but the recent operation was conducted solely by the U.S. and was the first strike under Trump’s second administration.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry in Yemen reported that the strikes killed at least 31 people, and the group has targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. The U.S. Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts destined for the Houthis, and the U.S. has accused Iran of supporting the terrorist group. Trump has warned Iran to end its support for the Houthis immediately or face consequences. The operation against the Houthis comes two weeks after Trump offered a path to restarting talks with Iran over its nuclear program and following the re-designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
Trump emphasized the importance of restoring navigational freedom in international waters and protecting American commercial and naval vessels from the Houthis’ attacks. He vowed to hold Iran accountable for its support of the terrorist group and warned that Houthi attacks would no longer be tolerated. The operation against the Houthis marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to combat the group’s terrorist activities in Yemen and the region.
