The US president has ordered a “powerful military action” against Yemeni-based Houthi militants
© X / CENTCOM
Dozens of people were killed or injured after the US launched a major airstrike campaign against Yemeni-based Houthi militants, with President Donald Trump personally observing the operation as it unfolded.
The strikes hit Yemen shortly after Trump announced a “decisive and powerful military action” against the Houthis on Saturday, warning that “hell will rain down” on them unless they cease attacking US interests and disrupting international commercial navigation in the region.
At least 13 civilians were killed in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, while six others—including four children and one woman—lost their lives in a US strike on the northern province of Saada, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. Nearly two dozen more people were injured.
The Houthis’ political bureau condemned the attack as a “war crime,” stating that “our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation.”
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16 March 2025
01:59 GMT
The Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reports that the number of casualties from US attacks in Saada has risen to ten, bringing the overall death toll to 23, including over a dozen killed in the capital.
- 01:55 GMT
The strike on Saada targeted a key power station, causing an outage, according to Yemen’s Al Masirah TV.
- 01:46 GMT
Washington has “informed” Moscow about its strikes in Yemen, according to the US State Department, which announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier in the day.
“The Secretary informed Russia of US military deterrence operations against the Iran-backed Houthis and emphasized that continued Houthi attacks on US military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated,” the department said in a readout.
It was unclear whether the call took place before or after President Trump ordered the strikes.
- 00:35 GMT
The death toll in Yemen has risen to at least 19, according to the Houthi-run health ministry and the Al Masirah TV. At least 13 civilians were killed in the capital, Sanaa, while six others – including four children and one woman – reportedly lost their lives in a US strike on the northern province of Saada. Nearly two dozen more people were injured.
- 00:30 GMT
The White House has released another black-and-white photo of the US commander-in-chief observing the strikes on Yemen while wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat.
Commander in Chief 🇺🇸 https://t.co/vKnV775JRIpic.twitter.com/U0ZFu2kOQg
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 15, 2025
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15 March 2025
23:22 GMT
US Central Command has shared additional videos of airstrikes against the Houthis.
CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue… pic.twitter.com/DYvc3gREN8
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
- 22:51 GMT
The Houthis’ political bureau condemned the attack as a “war crime,” stating that “our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation.”
- 22:17 GMT
The White House has released several pictures of Trump observing the military operation, emphasizing that the action was intended “to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats.”
President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats. For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency. pic.twitter.com/FLC0E8Xkly
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 15, 2025
- 21:17 GMT
At least nine people were killed and nine others wounded in US strikes on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.
- 20:43 GMT
US Central Command has announced that its forces launched a “large-scale operation against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen,” releasing images of F/A-18 fighter jets taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman to carry out strikes.
“On March 15, US Central Command initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation,” CENTCOM said in a brief statement, without specifying the targets of the strikes.”
CENTCOM Forces Launch Large Scale Operation Against Iran-Backed Houthis in YemenOn March 15, U.S. Central Command initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and… pic.twitter.com/u5yx8WneoG
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
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