US Airstrikes in Yemen Target Houthis, Deaths Rise to 23
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Synopsis
As of March 16, the death toll from US airstrikes on Houthi positions in Sanaa has tragically increased to 23. This action, a response to threats against ships related to Israel, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Key Takeaways
- Death toll from US airstrikes in Yemen rises to 23.
- US military targeted Houthi positions following threats to international shipping.
- President Trump issued a warning against Houthi aggression.
- Strikes occurred in Sanaa and Saada, impacting residential areas.
- This is the first US military operation against Houthis since Trump took office.
Sanaa, March 16 (NationPress) The death toll has climbed to 23 following the US military's assault on various Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, as reported by news outlets.
US fighter jets targeted multiple Houthi facilities in Sanaa and the northern province of Saada. This operation was conducted as a response to the Houthi militia's threats to resume strikes on vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea, amidst a blockade of the Gaza Strip that has now persisted for three weeks.
Initial reports suggested 13 casualties, but the toll has now risen to 23, with numbers likely to increase as more information becomes available, according to Al Jazeera.
The airstrikes followed a stern warning from US President Donald Trump, who proclaimed that "hell will rain down" in reaction to Houthi actions that threaten the safety of international shipping routes.
He cautioned the Houthis that if they do not cease their attacks "starting today... Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."
The Houthis had signaled intentions to strike ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for the Gaza blockade, escalating tensions in an already unstable area.
According to Houthi television, four airstrikes targeted the Al-Jarraf residential area in northern Sanaa, with additional strikes hitting the Shoab residential neighborhood in eastern Sanaa on Saturday night.
Later that evening, new strikes affected locations in the northern region's central city of Saada, which serves as the Houthis' primary stronghold. No further details were disclosed.
Local residents informed Xinhua news agency that the Sanaa strikes primarily targeted ammunition and rocket storage sites near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf area. Witnesses reported seeing thick smoke rising from the locality and a series of explosions following the airstrikes.
This marks the first military action undertaken by the US against the Houthis since President Trump took office in January and designated the group as a "foreign terrorist organization."
Trump remarked on social media platform Truth Social that the airstrikes on the "terrorists' bases, leadership, and missile defenses were aimed at safeguarding American shipping, air, and naval assets, as well as restoring navigational freedom."
