New U.S. Airstrikes Expand Air Campaign Against Yemen’s Houthis | Latest Updates

Houthis claim to down US drone. President Donald Trump declares Yemeni rebel group ‘decimated’ by air strike campaign.

The U.S. military conducted a series of airstrikes on Yemen overnight, targeting Houthi rebels.

Strikes hit areas near the capital, Sanaa, as well as the northern province of Saada early on Tuesday, as the U.S. expanded a bombing campaign against targets in Yemen that began in mid-March and has killed dozens of people.

Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported that U.S. forces carried out 15 raids on the northern province of Saada, including the city of Saada and the districts of Majz and Sahar. Mount Nabi Shuaib, located in the Bani Matar district of Sanaa province, was also reportedly targeted.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. The Houthis stated that the recent wave of U.S. bombardments has killed at least 61 people in Yemen since they began on March 15.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared two videos on social media showing fighter jets taking off and missiles being launched from an aircraft carrier.

The Houthis claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone over the central province of Marib, which is home to oil and gas fields, overnight.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels targeted the drone with “a suitable locally manufactured missile.”

While Iran denies arming the Houthis, the U.S. and Israel insist that Tehran is supplying the Yemeni rebels with weapons, which they have used to target shipping in the Red Sea. Iranian-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield.

The U.S. launched its military campaign after the Houthis threatened to resume attacks on regional shipping, citing Israel’s blockade on aid entering the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. has not yet responded to the claim that the Houthis hit a drone, but President Donald Trump issued a new warning to the Houthis and Iran on Monday, stating that the Yemeni group has “been decimated” by the airstrike campaign.

“Many of their Fighters and Leaders are no longer with us,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “We hit them every day and night – Harder and harder. Their capabilities that threaten Shipping and the Region are rapidly being destroyed. Our attacks will continue until they are no longer a threat to Freedom of Navigation.”

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones between November 2023 and January this year, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors. They also launched attacks targeting U.S. warships, though none have been hit so far.