US strikes in Yemen: 53 killed, oil prices up, Houthi attacks continue

US vows continued military action to protect shipping routes, launches major strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels as tensions escalate

Tensions escalated in the Red Sea as the United States carried out a significant wave of airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthis rebels over the weekend. The strikes came in response to Houthis’ continued assaults on military and commercial vessels traversing one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The strikes, among the most severe in recent months, have heightened tensions in the region, with both sides pledging further escalation. Here is what is known so far.

 

Houthis attack on shipping

The Houthis are a Zaydi Shi’ite rebel group from northern Yemen, originally founded by the Houthi family in the late 1990s to revive their sect, and later involved in conflicts with the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia.

 

 

The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, have repeatedly launched missile and drone strikes on international vessels in the Red Sea. They claim these attacks are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel remains engaged in conflict with Hamas.

 

The rebel assaults briefly stopped when a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in January, just a day before Trump’s return to office.

 

However, the Houthis announced last week that they would resume targeting Israeli ships after Israel restricted the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

 

53 killed in Yemen

On Saturday, the US carried out large-scale strikes that targeted multiple locations, including the capital, Sanaa, and Saada province, a stronghold for the Iran-aligned group near the Saudi Arabian border. According to the Houthi-controlled Health Ministry, at least 53 people, including five women and two children, were killed in the US attacks, while nearly 100 others were injured.

 

The latest US-led strikes mark the first direct military engagement against the Houthis since Trump began his second term in January. Previously, similar operations were conducted jointly with Israel and the United Kingdom. The recent attacks were carried out solely by US forces.

 

US vows to continue military action

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump vowed to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Houthis ceased their attacks. He warned that Iran, which has long been accused of supplying arms and intelligence to the rebels, would be held fully responsible for their actions.

 

Following the strikes, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear that the military operation would persist until the Houthis could no longer threaten international shipping.

 

“We are not going to allow them to decide which ships can pass and which cannot,” Rubio stated in an interview with CBS on Sunday, adding that the strikes were more aggressive than previous retaliatory actions taken by the Biden administration.

 

Houthis retaliates

In response to the latest US strikes, the Houthis declared their intent to escalate, with their leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, vowing to retaliate. “We will respond to American aggression with our own escalation,” he stated in a televised address, threatening missile and drone attacks on US warships.

 

On Sunday, the group claimed to have launched missiles and drones at the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier strike group, which is stationed in the Red Sea. However, a US defence official, speaking anonymously, reported that 11 drones and at least one missile were fired by the Houthis over 12 hours, but all were intercepted before reaching their targets. Ten drones were shot down by US Air Force fighter jets, while a US Navy F/A-18 jet destroyed the final one. The missile landed in the sea, far from any US vessel.

 

UN warns against humanitarian crisis in Yemen

The United Nations (UN) on Sunday evening called for maximum restraint from all parties, warning of the potential humanitarian consequences in Yemen, already one of the poorest nations in the Arab world. The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson issued a statement urging an end to military operations, highlighting the devastating impact such conflicts have on civilians.

 

“Any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilise Yemen and the region, and pose grave risks to the already dire humanitarian situation in the country,” UN said in a statement.

 

‘Stop killing Yemeni people’: Iran to US

Iran has consistently denied accusations that it directly controls Houthi military operations, despite longstanding allegations from the US and its allies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post on X, called on the US to cease its military actions in Gaza and Yemen, asserting that Washington cannot dictate Iran’s foreign policy.

 

“The United States Government has no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy.

That era ended in 1979. Biden was last year bamboozled into HANDING OVER UNPRECEDENTED 23 BILLION DOLLARS TO A GENOCIDAL REGIME. More than 60,000 Palestinians killed and the world holds America fully accountable. End support for Israeli genocide and terrorism. Stop killing of Yemeni people,” he wrote.

 

Oil prices rise reacting to tensions

The escalation has also affected global markets, with crude oil prices rising by approximately 1 per cent on Monday as traders reacted to potential disruptions in Red Sea shipping. Brent crude increased by 72 cents to $71.30 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude reached $67.90 per barrel, reflecting concerns over prolonged instability in a key maritime trade route.

 

With both the US and the Houthis determined to continue military actions, the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation.