Washington Vows Unrelenting Strikes Until Houthis Halt Red Sea Attacks
By The Media Line Staff
The United States vowed on Sunday to continue military operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels until they halt their ongoing attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea, a day after American airstrikes killed at least 53 people in the largest US military operation in the region since President Donald Trump took office.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military campaign, which began on Saturday, aims to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. “The minute the Houthis say we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,” Hegseth told Fox News. “This campaign will end, but until then it will be unrelenting.”
Saturday’s strikes targeted areas controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis, reportedly killing 53 people, including five children and two women, according to Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry. Nearly 100 others were reported injured. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to claims of civilian casualties, which Reuters could not independently verify.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi quickly retaliated rhetorically, pledging to escalate attacks on US ships in the region. “If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation,” he said in a televised address. A Houthi military spokesman also claimed without evidence that the group launched a second attack against the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, though US officials denied that any drones had come close to the carrier.
The ongoing Houthi attacks on shipping have disrupted global trade routes, prompting the recent American military response. Last week, the Houthis announced a resumption of attacks targeting Israeli vessels unless humanitarian aid shipments resumed to Gaza, highlighting the interconnected nature of regional tensions.
Meanwhile, President Trump has directly addressed Iran, demanding it cease backing the Houthis. “America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it,” Trump stated.
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