Series of US strikes target Yemen amid naval confrontations
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The United States carries out airstrikes targeting the Yemeni province of Saada in the wake of Yemen's operations in support of Gaza.
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Plumes of smoke rise over Yemen's Saada following US airstrikes that targeted the Yemeni governorate on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Social media)
The United States military conducted a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s Saada and Hodeidah governorates from Tuesday night into early Wednesday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported.
Initially, a wave of strikes targeted northern Yemen’s Saada governorate, specifically the Tukhya area in the Majz district, amid "intense US aerial activity over multiple Yemeni governorates."
Overnight, our correspondent reported that another four airstrikes targeted the al-A'sayed area in the same governorate.
Later, an aggression was launched in areas east of the port city of Hodeidah. Our correspondent also reported that two more strikes targeted a building in the al-Mina district in the western section of the Hodeidah governorate.
Yemeni Armed Forces confront US aggressors
At 3:30 am (local time) the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) released a statement detailing confrontations in the Red Sea at an earlier time. In detail, the YAF monitored the mobilization of hostile forces in the Red Sea, which were preparing to launch a wide-scale assault on the country.
As a result of the mobilization of these forces, the YAF's various specialized branches launched a coordinated operation, targeting the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 8, aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, and other vessels.
Multiple cruise missiles and one-way attack drones were launched in the direction of the vessels in the Red Sea, marking the fourth attack targeted US Navy ships in the past 72 hours.
Yemen's commitment to Palestine unaffected
Foreign Minister in the Sanaa-based government Jamal Amer underlined Tuesday that Yemen would not scale back its operations against Israeli shipping in the Red Sea in response to US military pressure or appeals from allies such as Iran.
His remarks came after the US launched an aggression with a series of strikes on Yemeni territory after the Yemeni Armed Forces announced last week that they were resuming attacks on Red Sea shipping in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that he would hold Iran accountable for any attacks carried out by Yemen.
"There will be no talk of any dialing down of operations before ending the aid blockade in Gaza. Iran is not interfering in our decision but what is happening is that it mediates sometimes but it cannot dictate things," Amer explained.
"[The US] is threatening Iran and hitting Yemen. Now all scenarios are possible. We will do what they will do to us. If they are hitting us from (US aircraft carrier USS Harry S.) Truman, we will retaliate by hitting Truman," the Yemeni minister warned.
Since November 2023, the YAF carried out more than 100 attacks in a show of solidarity with Gaza. They temporarily suspended their operations when a ceasefire took effect in January.
According to Amer, the YAF had initially focused exclusively on targeting Israeli vessels, but US military action had escalated the situation.
Yemeni leader vows stance with Gaza
Leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, declared on Tuesday evening that "jihad was only ordained to confront tyranny, crime, and the injustices committed by the Israeli occupation." He stressed that "the Yemeni armed forces will resume their escalation at the highest levels against the occupation," directly addressing the Palestinian people: "You are not alone."
Sayyed al-Houthi underscored that "there is no alternative to bearing responsibility in confronting and resisting the Israeli enemy," warning that "if Israel succeeds in eliminating the Palestinian cause, it will expand its crimes to other countries without any restraint."
The Ansar Allah leader stated that "the Israeli occupation has resumed its aggression through the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza," accusing it of "reneging on the ceasefire agreement, as well as the commitments to lift the siege and end starvation." He noted that "over two weeks ago, Israel had already violated its pledge by preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza."
He further asserted that "the resumption of war came with American consultation," adding that "yesterday, Israel massacred hundreds of Palestinians, most of whom were children and women."
The Yemeni leader criticized the lack of action from Arab and Islamic countries, stating that "the responsibility is immense in the face of what is happening before the eyes and ears of the entire Ummah." He underlined that the Israeli occupation felt emboldened because "it is confident that there will be no serious action from the Arab side, not even at the minimum level."
"Where is the movement of the [Islamic] nation across all fields—to struggle in the path of God militarily, politically, economically, and in the media? In the face of Western support for the enemy, why don’t Arab and Islamic countries supply the mujahideen in Palestine with weapons?" he asked.
