US Defence Secretary defends Yemen strikes amid Signal scandal
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on March 28th that the United States is “re-establishing deterrence” and expressed pride in the American forces’ air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
According to The National, made these comments while visiting the Philippines, as the administration of President Donald Trump faced scrutiny over the accidental inclusion of The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a Signal app group chat where military plans for Yemen were revealed.
Hegseth explained that the US is carrying out “very effective and devastating strikes” and emphasised the importance of re-establishing deterrence to ensure the freedom of navigation in the region.
He said, “It is something we take very seriously,” in response to a reporter’s question about the Signal app scandal.
Hegseth added, “I’m responsible for ensuring that our department is prepared and ready to deter and defeat our enemies,” and proudly noted the success of the initial strikes in the ongoing campaign.
On March 27th, a federal judge ordered that Hegseth and other officials preserve all communications from the Signal app from a specific five-day period this month, following a civil suit regarding the chat leak.
Hegseth attributed the air strikes to “four years of deferred maintenance, failure, and weakness under the Biden administration” and reaffirmed the US’s role in “re-establishing deterrence.”
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz acknowledged the mistake of adding Goldberg to the group chat that included Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, and others.
Hegseth had initially stated, “Nobody was texting war plans,” but it was revealed that details of the Yemen strikes, including aircraft types and missiles used, were shared in the chat.
The US airstrike campaign began on October 15th after the Iran-backed Houthis threatened to attack ships in the Red Sea following Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza.
The strikes targeted Houthi-controlled areas like Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Saada, while the Houthis claimed at least 57 fatalities due to the US actions.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have been responsible for over 100 missile and drone attacks on merchant ships and US military vessels, although no damage has been reported.
The National
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