Mapping US attacks on Yemen’s Houthis
US warplanes have launched more air raids in Yemen, targeting seven provinces, as the death toll rises to 53.
The United States has, for a second night, launched dozens of air raids targeting at least seven provinces. The strikes, which began on Saturday, have killed at least 53 people.
US President Donald Trump ordered the large-scale attacks on Yemen’s Houthi rebels after the group threatened to resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip.
From sunset on Saturday until sunrise on Sunday, US warplanes attacked multiple towns in Yemen, launching more than 47 air raids targeting at least seven provinces.
According to Yemeni media, US forces launched attacks on the following locations:
- Saada – Some 12 raids were reported in Saada. One strike on a power station in the town of Dahyan caused a blackout, according to Al Masirah TV. Dahyan is known as a frequent meeting place for Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, the reclusive leader of the Houthis.
- Ibb governorate – The deadliest attack occurred in the district of Kahza in the Ibb governorate, where US warplanes targeted two residential buildings, killing at least 15 people, according to Houthi media.
- Sanaa – In the capital, at least eight raids were reported, including one that struck a residential area, killing at least 15 people and wounding nine others. “The explosions were violent and shook the neighbourhood like an earthquake,” Abdullah Yahia, a resident of the Yemeni capital, told the Reuters news agency.
- Al-Bayda governorate also faced eight raids, while air strikes hit al-Majzah in Marib, Ans in Dhamar and Main in the Hajjah governorate.
- Taiz – In Yemen’s southwest, there were attacks on Houthi military sites in Taiz, according to two local witnesses.
Who are the Houthis?
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (supporters of God), are a rebel group that controls most of Yemen, including Sanaa, and some of the western and northern areas close to Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement emerged in the 1990s, but rose to prominence in 2014, when the group rebelled against Yemen’s government, causing it to step down and leading to a crippling humanitarian crisis.
The group then spent years, with Iran’s backing, fighting a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Analysts say the Shia group should not be seen as an Iranian proxy. It has its own base, its own interests and its own ambitions.
The Houthis control the northwestern regions of Yemen, including Sanaa, while the Yemeni government controls the southern and eastern parts, with Aden as its temporary capital.
Why is the US attacking Yemen?
The attacks come after the Yemeni group threatened to resume attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea over the total blockade of Gaza, which is now in its third week.
However, the Houthis have yet to attack any ships despite threatening to do so last week.
Since November 2023, the Houthis launched numerous attacks on ships off Yemen’s coast, which they said were an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war on Gaza.
A Pentagon spokesperson said, since 2023, the Houthis have attacked US warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times.
The US Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, described Saturday’s attacks as the “beginning of a large-scale offensive across Yemen”. According to officials, the strikes were partially carried out using jets from the Harry S Truman aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea.
During the previous administration of President Joe Biden, the US and the United Kingdom carried out several attacks on Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen, claiming they were targeting anti-ship missiles. Israel has also attacked Yemen’s infrastructure, including Sanaa international airport, seaports and power stations, on several occasions.
Why is the Red Sea important?
The Red Sea is a strategically vital maritime trade route, with 12 percent of global trade passing through its waters.
The Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait are crucial chokepoints for energy shipments from the Gulf, facilitating the transport of 12 percent of total seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.
In 2023, Bab al-Mandeb alone handled 8.8 million barrels per day of oil and 4.1 billion cubic feet per day of LNG, making it essential for global energy security and economic stability.
The main alternative to the Red Sea route is sailing around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. This detour is significantly longer and costlier for global trade, especially for energy shipments from the Gulf to Europe and North America.
