Watch: 31 killed in Yemen after Trump orders airstrike on Houthi rebels

At least 31 people were killed after US President Donald Trump ordered a military strike on Houthi-held areas in Yemen, reported news agency Reuters.
Houthis, the militant group in Yemen, has claimed that the US strikes killed civilians, including children in the capital Sanaa on Saturday.
The aerial strikes against the Yemeni rebel group came after Trump vowed to use "overwhelming lethal force" in the back of the Houthis' operations in the Red Sea.
The airstrikes also mark the first US military action against the Houthis since Trump’s administration began in January amid the rebels' attacks on Israel and Red Sea vessels amid the Gaza conflict.

Before the strike Trump posted on Truth Social his intention to "use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective", citing the Houthis' threats to Red Sea shipping.
The Houthis released a statement in response declaring that the strikes "will not pass without response".
"This aggression will not pass without a response, and our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation," the rebels' political bureau said in a statement on their Al-Masirah television.
Trump had also demanded Iran cease support for the rebels immediately. The rebels, controlling substantial parts of Yemen for over ten years, belong to the pro-Iran "axis of resistance" groups opposing Israel and the United States.
They have conducted numerous drone and missile strikes against vessels near Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Gaza conflict, expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
These actions disrupted the crucial shipping route, which typically handles 12 percent of global maritime traffic, compelling numerous companies to reroute around southern Africa.

The US has conducted multiple strikes on Houthi positions, sometimes with British support. The Houthis suspended attacks during Gaza's January ceasefire but announced on Tuesday they would resume until Israel allows aid into Palestinian territory.
Trump's communication avoided mentioning the Israel dispute, concentrating on previous Houthi attacks on commercial vessels. "To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" he said.

"Do NOT threaten the American People, their President... or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!" he added.

The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, are a Zaidi Shia rebel group from northern Yemen, primarily based in Saada province. They emerged in the 1990s as a religious-political movement opposing Saudi-backed Sunni influence and Western interference in Yemen.
The group was founded by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, who was killed in 2004 by Yemeni government forces, triggering an ongoing conflict. Though Zaidi Shia Islam is distinct from the Twelver Shia Islam of Iran, the Houthis have received military and financial support from Iran, leading to accusations that they serve as an Iranian proxy.
The group gained global attention in 2014 when they took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, forcing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile and sparking a war with the Saudi-led coalition in 2015. Since then, they have engaged in missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and recently, international shipping vessels in the Red Sea.
Their attacks, particularly on Israel-linked ships, have drawn US and UK airstrikes in retaliation. The Houthis claim these actions are in support of Palestine, but their increasing aggression in the region has led to fears of wider conflict.
Currently, they control much of northern Yemen, running a parallel government while continuing their fight against Yemeni government forces, Saudi Arabia, and UAE-backed militias.


The Houthis primarily receive support from Iran, which provides them with weapons, military training, and financial assistance. Iran sees the Houthis as a useful ally in its broader strategy to counter Saudi Arabia and expand its influence in the region. The Lebanese Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed group, has also reportedly provided military training and strategic guidance to the Houthis.
In addition to Iran and Hezbollah, the Houthis have received support from various local tribes in Yemen, particularly those opposed to Saudi influence. Some reports suggest that North Korea has also secretly supplied them with weapons, though this is less confirmed.
The Houthis claim to be fighting against Western imperialism, and in recent conflicts, they have aligned themselves with the Iran-led "Axis of Resistance", which includes groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and various militias in Iraq and Syria.

The Houthis have carried out several major attacks, disrupting global security and trade. In September 2019, they launched drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais, temporarily halving Saudi oil production. In January 2022, they attacked Abu Dhabi with drones and missiles, killing three people and targeting an oil facility and the international airport.
Throughout 2021-2022, they launched ballistic missiles at Saudi cities, including a strike on a Jeddah oil depot during a Formula 1 race. Since late 2023, they have attacked Red Sea shipping, claiming to target Israel-linked vessels, leading to US and UK airstrikes on Houthi positions.
In November 2023, they hijacked the Galaxy Leader, an Israeli-linked ship, escalating tensions further. Their increasing use of advanced drones and missiles has turned them into a key regional threat.