U.S. Defense Secretary Vows ‘Relentless’ Strikes Against Houthis, Says Yemen War Is Not a Concern
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the US will carry out “relentless strikes” against the Houthis until they halt their military operations targeting US interests and global shipping in the Red Sea.
In an interview with Fox News, Hegseth said, “We don’t care about what happens in Yemen’s civil war; our concern is stopping attacks on a vital waterway.”
He emphasized that the strikes were in response to dozens of Houthi attacks on ships since November 2023 and served as a warning to Iran to stop supporting the group.
“This (operation) will continue until they say: ‘We will no longer attack U.S. ships and interests,’” he added.
The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated:
“Our operation will end when the Houthis commit to stopping attacks on our ships and ceasing threats to American lives. Our desire is peace, but we will not tolerate any assaults on our people.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News that the Houthis would not have been able to carry out their attacks without Iran’s support, accusing Tehran of providing intelligence, guidance, and weapons.
“Iran will be held responsible for the Houthis’ attacks on ships if it does not stop supporting them,” Rubio warned.
He further stated:
“The Houthis’ attacks are unsustainable, and we will not allow them to control maritime traffic. The strikes were a message to Iran to cease its support for them.”
Earlier, a Houthi military spokesperson claimed responsibility for attacking the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and reported that the U.S. had conducted more than 170 airstrikes across Yemen throughout the night.
According to Houthi-affiliated media, the preliminary toll from the US strikes stands at 31 killed and 101 injured.
