Houthi Rebels Claim Attack on US Aircraft Carrier Amid Rising Tensions
The Houthis assert they launched missiles and a drone in response to US airstrikes in Yemen, escalating regional conflict.
On March 16, 2025, Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack against the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
They announced that they had fired 18 missiles and deployed a drone targeting the carrier and accompanying US warships as retaliation for recent American airstrikes.
The US government has not confirmed the alleged attack as of the latest reports.
Houthi leader Abdel Malik Al-Houthi urged Yemenis to gather in large numbers on March 17 to protest against the US strikes, which reportedly targeted areas including the capital, Sanaa, resulting in at least 31 fatalities, including children, according to Houthi sources.
In a televised speech, Al-Houthi indicated that the Houthis would target US commercial vessels in the Red Sea as long as US military operations continued.
These developments follow a series of US strikes on Houthi positions, which were conducted in response to threats against maritime commerce and against Israel.
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated that these airstrikes had successfully killed several key Houthi leaders.
The Houthis control significant portions of Yemen, including Sanaa, and are part of what Iran refers to as the 'Axis of Resistance,' which includes the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
In recent months, the Houthis have launched various missile attacks against Israel and vessels associated with Israel, claiming they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict.
US President Donald Trump threatened to hold the Houthis responsible for threatening American interests and international maritime routes.
In response, Iranian officials condemned the US airstrikes as barbaric and asserted Iran's right to dictate its foreign policy without US interference.
Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, emphasizing that continued Houthi attacks on US naval and commercial vessels would not be tolerated.
Lavrov, representing a country aligned with Iran, urged all parties to refrain from escalating tensions in Yemen.
The United Nations has called for both the US and Houthi forces to cease military actions, warning that further escalation could worsen regional tensions, provoke cycles of retaliation, and exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Yemen, a poor nation located on the Arabian Peninsula with a population of approximately 38 million, has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014. This conflict, primarily between Houthi rebels and a government backed by Saudi Arabia, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
They announced that they had fired 18 missiles and deployed a drone targeting the carrier and accompanying US warships as retaliation for recent American airstrikes.
The US government has not confirmed the alleged attack as of the latest reports.
Houthi leader Abdel Malik Al-Houthi urged Yemenis to gather in large numbers on March 17 to protest against the US strikes, which reportedly targeted areas including the capital, Sanaa, resulting in at least 31 fatalities, including children, according to Houthi sources.
In a televised speech, Al-Houthi indicated that the Houthis would target US commercial vessels in the Red Sea as long as US military operations continued.
These developments follow a series of US strikes on Houthi positions, which were conducted in response to threats against maritime commerce and against Israel.
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated that these airstrikes had successfully killed several key Houthi leaders.
The Houthis control significant portions of Yemen, including Sanaa, and are part of what Iran refers to as the 'Axis of Resistance,' which includes the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
In recent months, the Houthis have launched various missile attacks against Israel and vessels associated with Israel, claiming they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict.
US President Donald Trump threatened to hold the Houthis responsible for threatening American interests and international maritime routes.
In response, Iranian officials condemned the US airstrikes as barbaric and asserted Iran's right to dictate its foreign policy without US interference.
Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, emphasizing that continued Houthi attacks on US naval and commercial vessels would not be tolerated.
Lavrov, representing a country aligned with Iran, urged all parties to refrain from escalating tensions in Yemen.
The United Nations has called for both the US and Houthi forces to cease military actions, warning that further escalation could worsen regional tensions, provoke cycles of retaliation, and exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Yemen, a poor nation located on the Arabian Peninsula with a population of approximately 38 million, has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014. This conflict, primarily between Houthi rebels and a government backed by Saudi Arabia, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
