Yemen Monitor / Washington / Exclusive:
On Tuesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the US had killed “the worst of the Houthis” and that the group was now in retreat.
Trump described the Houthis as “a branch of Iran” and said, “We sent a message to the Iranians, telling them they need to talk to us.”
Trump had previously sent a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader regarding nuclear negotiations. Analysts believe that the attacks on the Houthis in Yemen are part of Washington’s maximum pressure campaign on Tehran.
“We need to establish a safer world, and the Houthis surely wish what happened had never occurred,” Trump added.
On March 16, the US launched large-scale military strikes against the Houthis, killing at least 31 people. The attacks were in response to Houthi threats to resume assaults on ships passing through the Red Sea.
The strikes followed the Houthis’ March 12 announcement of their intention to resume attacks on Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, ending a period of relative calm that had begun in January with the ceasefire in Gaza.
The Houthis are an armed movement that has controlled much of Yemen over the past decade.
