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Understanding the Houthi Standoff and Recent US Strikes on Yemen under Trump’s Administration

March 18, 2025 TruthUSA

On March 15, U.S. warplanes commenced strikes across Yemen, resuming efforts to deter Houthi attacks on vessels in the surrounding waterways.

At sunset on March 15, several F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets took off from the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, targeting Houthi locations in western Yemen after a two-month hiatus.

The initial salvo delivered by these U.S. fighter jets marked the beginning of a renewed military campaign against the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist group that currently controls significant portions of Yemen, including the capital city Sana’a.

Following March 15, additional rounds of U.S. airstrikes have been carried out across Yemen.

In an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” White House national security adviser Mike Waltz reported that recent U.S. strikes killed key Houthi leaders and destroyed critical infrastructure, including missiles.

According to a March 16 press statement from Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Houthi military, around 47 separate U.S. strikes hit various areas of Yemen, resulting in 31 civilian casualties and 101 injuries, as reported by Yemen’s Houthi-run Health Ministry.

Independent verification of casualty assessments is currently unavailable.

Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing on March 17, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich mentioned that recent strikes caused dozens of casualties among legitimate combatants, with no confirmed civilian casualties yet despite claims from Yemen.

Perceived as a key proxy of Iran in Washington, the Houthis have been intermittently listed as a foreign terrorist organization. President Donald Trump recently ordered the Houthis to be re-designated as a foreign terrorist organization, citing their drone and missile strikes on Israel and vessels in Middle Eastern waterways since October 2023.

In a social media post on March 15 announcing renewed strikes on Yemen, Trump warned Houthi leaders to cease attacks or face dire consequences.

Despite the warning, the Houthis claimed to have retaliated against the Truman Carrier Strike Group multiple times. By March 16, they launched 18 missiles and an attack drone, followed by more missiles and drones by March 18.

Houthis Link Standoff to Gaza

The Houthis began targeting vessels in Middle Eastern waterways after Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023. They claim solidarity with Hamas and conduct attacks to pressure Israel to halt military operations in Gaza.

Between October 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis launched numerous drone and missile attacks on Israel and vessels, damaging and sinking ships. In November 2023, they hijacked the Bahamas-flagged vehicle carrier Galaxy Leader, holding 25 crew members hostage.

The Biden administration initially sent warships to intercept Houthi drones and missiles through waterways. As attacks continued, military action escalated with direct U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft launching from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during flight operations in the Red Sea, on Jan. 22, 2024. (Kaitlin Watt/U.S. Navy via AP) — This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft launching from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during flight operations in the Red Sea, on Jan. 22, 2024. Kaitlin Watt/U.S. Navy via AP

Despite prior U.S. bombardments, Houthi attacks persisted until Israel and Hamas reached a cease-fire in January, leading the Houthis to release the Galaxy Leader crew after 459 days.

The Gaza cease-fire recently faltered as Israeli and Hamas negotiators disagreed on the peace process, with Israel cutting off supplies to Gaza on March 2.

On March 11, the Houthis announced plans to resume pressure on Israel by targeting Israeli vessels in the Red Sea.

Michael Horton, a fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, highlighted the Houthi strategy to exploit the Gaza conflict for local support.

In terms of countering Houthi attacks, Daniel Flesch, a Heritage Foundation analyst, emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on the group despite their justifications tied to the Gaza situation.

A satellite image taken by Maxar Technologies shows the Belize-flagged ship Rubymar in the Red Sea on March 1, 2024, taking on water after sustaining damage from a Houthi attack. (Maxar Technologies via AP) — A satellite image taken by Maxar Technologies shows the Belize-flagged ship Rubymar in the Red Sea on March 1, 2024, taking on water after sustaining damage from a Houthi attack. Maxar Technologies via AP

Trump Raises Stakes For Iran

The Houthi movement initially emerged in opposition to Yemen’s government, leading to a civil conflict in 2014. Since then, the conflict has evolved into a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and its allies, supported by the U.S., against Iran’s proxy, the Houthis.

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