The U.S. military is taking decisive action in the Red Sea, launching a new wave of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, following a months-long escalation of attacks on U.S. and allied shipping vessels.
In a Pentagon briefing on March 17, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that U.S. Central Command, acting under President Donald J. Trump’s direction, carried out the airstrikes starting March 15 to “restore freedom of navigation and re-establish American deterrence” in the region.
The Houthis, a Yemen-based group supported by Iran, have launched more than 170 attacks on U.S. warships and over 145 attacks on commercial vessels since 2003. These actions have posed serious threats to maritime commerce and U.S. military personnel alike, according to the Pentagon.
“There is a very clear end-state to this operation, and that begins the moment that the Houthis pledge to stop attacking our ships and putting American lives at risk,” said Parnell. “The Houthis could stop this tomorrow if they [agree] to stop shooting at [our] people”
Despite the airstrikes, U.S. officials say the Houthis have shown no sign of stopping their aggression.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, director for operations for the Joint Staff, detailed that the initial wave of strikes hit over 30 Houthi targets across multiple locations, including drone launch facilities, weapons manufacturing sites, and command-and-control centers.
Among the high-value targets was a terrorist compound housing senior Houthi UAV specialists, and additional follow-up strikes were conducted on March 16.
“The operation continues and will continue in the coming days until we achieve the president’s objectives,” said Grynkewich.
In the aftermath of the U.S. strikes, early assessments indicate dozens of Houthi militants were killed, although final casualty numbers remain unconfirmed. Notably, there have been no reports of civilian casualties as of now.
The Houthis claimed they fired on the USS Harry S. Truman, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, but Grynkewich cast doubt on that assertion. “They missed by over 100 miles,” he said, describing the claim as incompetent propaganda.