The US attacks came after US President Donald Trump told the Houthis not to attack ships passing through the Red Sea after the group threatened to resume raids on Israeli-linked ships travelling through the Red Sea [Getty]
Yemen’s Houthis vowed on Sunday to respond to a wave of US strikes which killed at least 31 people, saying “the aggression will not go unanswered” and adding that their forces were fully prepared to confront any escalation.
The group’s political bureau issued a statement saying the “US-British assault targeting residential neighbourhoods in Sanaa is a treacherous and sinful aggression and targeting civilians and civilian objects is a full-fledged war crime”.
The group’s head further called the strikes “evidence of American terrorism”, adding that it “confirms that America was and continues to fight on behalf of the Zionist entity”.
The US attacks came after US President Donald Trump told the Houthis not to attack ships passing through the Red Sea after the group threatened to resume raids on Israeli-linked ships travelling through the Red Sea over Israel’s blockade and war on Gaza.
The US attacks started on Saturday and continued into Sunday morning, with Yemen’s health ministry confirming most of those killed were women and children.
Local sources told The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, Al-Araby al-Jadeed, that the US raids targeted many homes as well as a building in the specialised university of the al-Jarraf neighbourhood located north of the capital Sanaa.
Local media in Yemen also reported that the attacks targeted the outskirts of Dhamar city and the Anas district. In Saada, local reports stated at least four children and one woman were killed in the bombing.
The decision to strike Yemen marks one of the first major attacks launched by the US administration since Trump came into office for his second term in January.
Trump announced the attacks on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he wrote: “Today, I ordered the United States military to launch a decisive and forceful military strike against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen”, adding the Houthis “have waged a relentless campaign of piracy, violence, and terror against American ships, aircraft, drones and others”.
The Houthis published a statement following the attacks on Saturday saying that “American claims of bombing military targets are false. The reality is they targeted a densely populated neighbourhood in Sanaa”.
The group added that maritime navigation will continue to be safe for all ships except Israeli vessels until Israel complies with the terms of the ceasefire deal and allows aid into Gaza.
The Houthis have reaffirmed their solidarity with Gaza and promised to continue taking action to support them, as Israel again blocked all aid from entering the Strip on 2 March.
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have labelled Israel’s actions a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
Meanwhile, despite the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, Israel has launched several attacks on the enclave, killing at least 12 people, including eight aid workers and a child in Beit Lahia.
Gaza’s government media office reported Israel’s war on the Strop has killed over 61,700 people.
