American planes bombed Yemen’s Houthis for a second night

American planes have bombed Yemen’s Houthis for a second night after the group’s attacks targeting Red Sea shipping, as reported on March 17th.

According to The National, the US Defence Secretary pledged “unrelenting” attacks on the militant group.

On March 15th, President Donald Trump authorised large-scale military strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, marking the largest military operation in the Middle East since he took office in January.

The strikes were in response to recent Houthi attacks on international shipping routes, particularly in the Red Sea, which is a vital corridor for global trade.

The Houthis had fired rockets and drones at maritime targets, escalating tensions in the region.

Earlier, the Houthis claimed to have launched these projectiles at a US aircraft carrier, specifically targeting the USS Harry Truman.

However, US military officials confirmed that all of the projectiles were successfully intercepted before they could reach their target, preventing any damage to the ship.

Despite this, the escalation of hostilities led to the US military’s retaliatory strikes, which targeted several Houthi positions.

The first round of US airstrikes on March 15th resulted in at least 53 deaths, including five children, and 98 injuries, according to a spokesperson from the Houthi Health Ministry, Anis Al Asbahi.

After the American planes bombed Houthis, it was met with widespread condemnation , as they have led to significant civilian casualties.

The attacks are also part of a broader effort by the US to exert pressure on Iran, which has been backing the Houthi rebels in their ongoing conflict with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The Houthis, who control large portions of northern Yemen, have also been a vocal ally of Iran in the region.

Despite a UN-brokered ceasefire and calls for de-escalation, both sides have continued to exchange fire, with the US reaffirming its stance that its military actions will continue unless the Houthis cease their attacks on US forces and shipping lanes in the region.

This month saw the US re-establishment of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation, overriding a previous Joe Biden-era policy.

On March 16, the UN called upon the US military and the Houthis to cease “all military activity.”

“We note with concern the launching of multiple strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen by the United States overnight, which reportedly resulted in death and injuries,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Mr Al Houthi, according to The National, called on March 16 for a “million-strong” march of defiance after deadly US strikes hit the capital, Sanaa, and other areas.

“I call on our dear people to go out tomorrow on the anniversary of the Battle of Badr in a million-strong march in Sanaa and the rest of the governorates,” he said in a televised address.

Officials told The National that the US strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels are sending a warning to Iran, but above all, will prolong civilian suffering.

The US Defence Secretary has stated that Washington “will continue its operations unless Houthi attacks on US forces and Red Sea navigation cease.”

However, he said that the US “does not seek escalation and that military operations will cease as soon as these attacks cease.”

This conflict is part of a larger geopolitical struggle in the Middle East, where regional powers, including Iran, the US, and various Arab states, have been involved in proxy wars and indirect confrontations for years.

The escalation of violence between the US and the Houthis, along with the involvement of multiple international actors, continues to destabilise Yemen, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the country.

The National.