The United States pledged to continue military strikes against Yemen's Houthis until the Iran-backed group ceases its attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday. The announcement follows a series of American airstrikes that left at least 53 dead, including women and children, according to Houthi officials, marking the largest U.S. military operation in the region since President Donald Trump's return to office.
Hegseth said during an interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," "The minute the Houthis say we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your drones. This campaign will end, but until then it will be unrelenting." He added, "This is about stopping the shooting at assets ... to reopen freedom of navigation, which is a core national interest of the United States, and Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long. They better back off."
The U.S. strikes, conducted on Saturday, targeted sites in Yemen's capital Sanaa, as well as Saada, Al-Bayda, Radaa, and Taiz, according to both U.S. officials and Houthi sources. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on claims of civilian casualties, while Reuters could not independently verify the Houthi death toll.
Anees Alsbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry, stated that five children and two women were among those killed. Another 98 people were reportedly injured. Footage aired by Houthi media showed medics treating injured children and residents removing debris with their hands. In Sanaa, resident Abdullah Yahia described the attack: "The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children."
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed retaliation in a televised speech, declaring the group would escalate its attacks on American vessels in the Red Sea if the strikes continued. "If the American aggression against our country continues, we will move to additional escalatory options," he said, adding U.S. cargo ships would also become targets.
The Houthis claimed they launched 18 missiles and a drone targeting the USS Harry S. Truman and its accompanying warships. U.S. officials confirmed intercepting 11 drones but said none came close to the carrier. They also tracked a missile that fell into the sea without posing a threat.
Trump addressed the situation on social media, warning Iran to halt its support for the Houthis immediately. "To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" he wrote. He added, "To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY!"
Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami responded, stating, "We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats," asserting that the Houthis made their own decisions independently.
U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz reiterated the administration's stance, telling ABC News, "We just hit them with overwhelming force and put Iran on notice that enough is enough."
Russia weighed in, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urging an immediate end to hostilities and calling for political dialogue during a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The United Nations also issued a warning. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities," emphasizing that escalation risks deepening Yemen's humanitarian crisis and destabilizing the broader region.
The Houthis' Red Sea attacks have disrupted vital global trade routes since the Israel-Hamas war began in late 2023. Although attacks were suspended during a Gaza ceasefire in January, the group resumed threats last week after accusing Israel of blocking aid to Gaza.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched at least 136 attacks against commercial vessels, warships, and other targets, according to data from the Yemen Conflict Observatory. Many global shipping companies have been forced to reroute vessels around southern Africa, increasing costs and delivery times.
