US launches deadly strikes on Yemen over Houthi ship attacks

US President Donald Trump ordered fresh strikes on Yemen on Saturday, with at least 13 people reportedly killed in an operation that could last for days.

Trump announced the strikes against the Houthis, the Iran-backed militant group that controls large swathes of Yemen, in response to its decision to resume attacks on cargo ships near the Red Sea.

"We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," Trump posted on his Truth Social network.

"The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important waterways of the world, grinding vast swaths of global commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of freedom of navigation upon which International trade and commerce depends," Trump wrote.

The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies reported that the strikes could continue for days, citing an anonymous US security official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Explosions heard in residential areas

The Houthis said at least 13 civilians had been killed and called the strikes a "war crime."

Explosions were heard in residential neighborhoods of the capital city, Sanaa, as well as in the Houthi stronghold in the province of Saada.

"The explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children," one Sanaa resident told Reuters.

Residents described large explosions in SanaaImage: Osamah Abdulrahman/AP Photo/picture alliance

Houthis vow to continue attacking ships

The Houthis began attacking ships near the Red Sea in late 2023 in retaliation for Israel's ground offensive in Gaza.

The Iran-backed group has since been classified as a terrorist organization by the United States.

After a period of relative calm coinciding with the ceasefire in Gaza in January, the Houthis announced on Tuesday that they would resume attacks on Israeli ships sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

After the first US strikes on Saturday, the Sanaa-headquartered group said it would not back down.

"Sanaa will remain Gaza's shield and support and will not abandon it no matter the challenges," said Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office.

Edited by: Sean Sinico