Dozens Killed in US Attack on Yemen

SANAA, SUNDAY-US fighter jets have again attacked Yemen. At least 15 people were killed and nine others were injured.

US President Donald Trump announced the attack on Saturday (3/15/2025) afternoon Washington DC time or early Sunday WIB. In early Sunday reports, Al Jazeera and Al Mayadeen said that the attack was launched on Sanaa and Saada. Sanaa is the capital of Yemen, Saada is 180 kilometers northwest of Sanaa.

Trump stated that the Houthis are carrying out acts of piracy at the southern end of the Red Sea. "We will use extremely lethal force until we achieve our objectives," Trump wrote on social media.

Ships, aircraft, and soldiers of the U.S. and its allies have been targeted by the Houthis, Trump stated. "The Houthi attacks on U.S. ships will not be tolerated," he added.

Central Command (Centcom), which controls U.S. military operations in the Middle East and parts of Africa, released a statement about the strikes. "U.S. Central Command initiated targeted strike operations against Iranian-backed Houthi targets to restore freedom of navigation," the statement on the U.S. Centcom website said.

The statement was accompanied by a short video recording several F/A-18 fighter jets taking off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. There was no information about which aircraft carrier it was or where the aircraft carrier was located. Nor was there any explanation as to whether the activities in the video were part of an attack on Sanaa and Saada.

The Houthis accused the US and UK of launching the attack, and said the attack was launched from the USS Harry Truman.

The USS Harry Truman was at the southern end of the Suez Canal on Sunday, according to the ship position tracking site. The carrier is one of the carriers of the F/A-18, a fighter jet capable of air combat and bombing missions.

A U.S. officer stated that an attack on the Houthis could be launched in the coming days. The officer, who declined to reveal their identity, mentioned that the attack was in response to threats from the Houthis. The U.S. is also preparing for the potential of retaliatory strikes by the Houthis.

On Tuesday (11/3), the Houthis announced their intention to reimpose a blockade on the strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. The Bab al-Mandab Strait serves as a crucial route for global shipping. The blockade is in response to Israel's decision to continue its attacks on Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank.

On Sunday, the Houthis reaffirmed that the blockade applies to Israeli ships and their supporters. Ships not affiliated with Israeli interests and their supporters will be allowed to sail in Bab al-Mandab. The blockade will continue as long as Israel prohibits humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.

"This attack is a blatant violation of Yemeni sovereignty," the Houthi statement was quoted as saying by Al Mayadeen.

As of early Sunday morning in Sanaa, at least 13 people were reported dead and nine others critically injured. The number of victims is feared to continue rising, as not everyone at the attack site has been accounted for. The exact target location also remains unclear.