Donald Trump launches 'decisive and powerful' strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

Smoke rises following the attacks

Holly Bishop

By Holly Bishop


Published: 15/03/2025

- 19:48

Updated: 15/03/2025

- 21:07

The President said Houthi attacks on US aircraft has cost 'billions of dollars' and put lives at risk

Donald Trump has launched strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” against the group until they agreed to end their attacks on shipping assets.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US President wrote: “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."


“I have ordered the US military today to launch a decisive and powerful military operation against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen,” Trump added.

“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

Images circulating online show smoke rising in the capital city of Sanaa.

Images circulating online show smoke rising in the capital city of Sanaa

Reuters

Strikes

The strikes also hit 'a residential neighborhood', the Houthi media office reported

Getty


Last night, the Houthi-run health ministry said at least nine had been killed and nine injured in the strikes in Sanaa.

Trump continued: "Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies."

He added that this had cost "billions of dollars" and put lives at risk.

Trump said Iran would be held "fully accountable" for the actions of its proxy, adding: "And we won't be nice about it!"

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Strikes yemen

Last night, the Houthi-run health ministry said at least nine had been killed and nine injured in the strikes in Sanaa

Getty

Donald Trump

Donald Trump

GETTY

Addressing the Houthis directly, Trump wrote that if they did not stop, "HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE".

Images circulating online show smoke rising in the capital city's airport complex, which includes a sprawling military complex.

The strikes also hit "a residential neighborhood", the Houthi media office reported.

Residents said at least four airstrikes rocked the Eastern Geraf neighborhood in Shouab district, terrifying women and children in the area.

Houthi fighter stands on the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red SeaHouthi fighters have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel's actions in GazaReuters

The strikes come days after the Houthis, who control much Yemen, announced they are “resuming the ban on the passage of all Israeli ships” in the Red Sea in response to the country's blockade on Gaza.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks targeting shipping vessels and containers.

Whilst the group has said that they are attacking ships connected with Israel, many of the vessels struck have had no ties to Israel.