Sat Mar 15 21:25:49 UTC 2025: ## Trump Orders Airstrikes Against Yemen’s Houthis After Attacks on Shipping
**Washington, March 16, 2025** – U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he ordered airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen following a series of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who had targeted over 100 merchant vessels since October 2023, resumed attacks after Israel halted aid to Gaza. These attacks, which included the sinking of two vessels and the deaths of four sailors, disrupted one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and cost the U.S. and global economy billions of dollars.
The strikes, carried out by the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group and the USS Georgia submarine, aimed to protect U.S. assets and restore freedom of navigation. The operation marks the most significant U.S. naval engagement since World War II. While previous administrations had conducted strikes against Houthi targets, this operation was solely a U.S. effort, according to a U.S. official.
Trump also used the strikes to pressure Iran, accusing it of supporting the Houthis and holding it “fully accountable” for their actions. The State Department recently reinstated the Houthis’ designation as a foreign terrorist organization. Simultaneously, Trump is attempting to restart bilateral talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program, while maintaining a policy of “maximum pressure” including new sanctions and the continued threat of military action. Iran denies its nuclear program is for weapons development.
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