Trump: I Ordered the Military to Launch a “Decisive” Military Operation Against the Houthis in Yemen
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he had issued orders to the US military to launch a decisive military operation against the Houthis in Yemen.
Trump explained that this operation comes in response to the ongoing piracy, violence, and terrorism against US ships, aircraft, and drones, in addition to other threats campaign launched by the Houthis .
Trump pointed out that the response of former President Joe Biden’s administration to these attacks was “pathetically weak,” which led to the Houthis continuing to escalate their attacks and increase their recklessness in the region.
Trump added, “A full year has passed since the first US-flagged commercial ship sailed peacefully through the Suez, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden.”
In a strongly worded speech, he continued, “We will not tolerate the Houthi attack on US ships and we will use overwhelming deadly force until we achieve our goal.”
He pointed out that “the Houthis’ choking of shipping traffic in one of the most important waterways in the world has led to the cessation of large sectors of global trade.”
He went on to say, “Our soldiers are carrying out attacks on the bases of terrorists, their leaders, and their defenses to protect American shipping and restore freedom of navigation.”
He added, “No terrorist force will prevent US commercial and naval vessels from sailing freely in global waterways.”
Trump addressed the Houthis, saying, “I say to the Houthi terrorists that your time is up and your attacks must stop, or hell will rain down on you as you have never seen before.”
He added, “I say to the Iranians that they must stop supporting the Houthis and not threaten the American people, their president, or global shipping lanes.”
Earlier, the New York Times announced, quoting US officials, that the strikes ordered by US President Donald Trump targeted radars, air defenses, missile systems, and drones.
The newspaper explained that “the strikes aim to open international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, which the Houthis have disrupted, and that the US bombing aims to send a warning signal to Iran.”
According to US officials, targeting the Houthi arsenal may continue for several days and may increase in scope depending on their response. Security officials also want a stronger campaign that will deprive the Houthis of control over parts of the country.
Houthi media had reported a series of airstrikes targeting the capital, Sana’a, on Saturday evening.
On Wednesday, the armed group said it would resume banning the passage of ships across the sea, after a halt that began in January with a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Last week, the US State Department said it had decided to begin implementing the designation of the Houthi group as a “foreign terrorist organization,” after US President Donald Trump called for this step earlier this year.
In January, Trump returned the Houthi movement to the list of foreign terrorist organizations in a move that could lead to tougher economic sanctions in response to their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships.
