Houthis claim new attack on American warships, report new US strikes

In this handout image provided by the US NAVY the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits the Atlantic Ocean during an ordnance transfer, August 24, 2024. (AFP)
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  • The Houthis said on Telegram they had targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group with missiles and drones
  • Houthi media said fresh US strikes hit Yemen on Monday after tens of thousands demonstrated

SANAA: Iran-backed Houthis on Tuesday claimed their third attack on American warships in 48 hours, despite US strikes targeting the group in Yemen that have sparked mass protests.
The Houthis said on Telegram they had targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group with missiles and drones, making the attack the 鈥渢hird in the past 48 hours鈥� in the northern Red Sea.
A US defense official said the Houthis 鈥渃ontinue to communicate lies and disinformation,鈥� adding the Iran-backed group is 鈥渨ell known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs.鈥�
A US Air Force official earlier said it was 鈥渉ard to confirm鈥� the attacks claimed by the Houthis as they were missing their targets 鈥渂y over 100 miles.鈥�
Houthi media said fresh US strikes hit Yemen on Monday after tens of thousands demonstrated in the capital Sanaa.
There were also large crowds in Saada, the birthplace of the Houthi movement, and demonstrations in Dhamar, Hodeida and Amran, footage from the rebels鈥� Al-Masirah TV station showed.
鈥淵emen will never back down 鈥� we defy the Americans, we defy the Zionists,鈥� said a man shouting slogans to the Sanaa crowd.
The protests came after Washington launched a fresh campaign of air strikes on Yemen beginning Saturday, aiming to pressure the Houthis into ending their attacks on Red Sea shipping.
The Houthis have targeted ships traveling the major trade route since the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.
The US strikes killed 53 people and wounded 98 on Saturday, according to the health ministry.
Al-Masirah channel and Saba press agency reported new US strikes on Monday night in the Hodeida and Al-Salif regions, while the Houthi Ansarollah website said strikes hit Sanaa early Tuesday.
Washington has vowed to keep hitting Yemen until the Houthis stop attacking shipping, with US President Donald Trump warning he will hold Iran accountable for any further attacks carried out by the Tehran-sponsored group.
鈥淓very shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible,鈥� Trump posted on social media.
Iran responded by calling his statement 鈥渂elligerent.鈥�
At the rally in Yemen鈥檚 capital Sanaa, giant flags punctuated a sea of demonstrators at Al-Sabeen Square, which has hosted large-scale demonstrations every week throughout the Gaza war.
Just two days ago, the Houthi-controlled capital was hit by heavy strikes, including in northern districts frequented by the leadership.
They were the first US strikes since Trump returned to office in January, and came despite a pause in the Houthis鈥� attacks coinciding with a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
The Pentagon said it had struck 30 targets in Yemen so far and vowed to use 鈥渙verwhelming lethal force鈥� to 鈥渞estore freedom of navigation鈥� in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz told ABC News that Saturday鈥檚 strikes 鈥渢argeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.鈥� The Houthis have not responded to Waltz鈥檚 claim.


The United Nations urged both sides to 鈥渃ease all military activity,鈥� while expressing concern over Houthi threats to resume the Red Sea attacks.
Before this weekend鈥檚 targeting of the US carrier group, the Houthis had not claimed any attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when the ceasefire in Gaza began.
However, the group had threatened to resume its campaign over Israel鈥檚 blocking of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.
It said it would 鈥渕ove to additional escalatory options鈥� if the 鈥淎merican aggression鈥� continued.
Trump, meanwhile, has warned the Yemeni group that 鈥渉ell will rain down upon you鈥� if it did not stop its attacks.
He has also broadened the warning to include Iran, saying it would 鈥渟uffer the consequences鈥� for shots fired by the Houthis.
Iran鈥檚 Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier condemned the US strikes and said Washington had 鈥渘o authority鈥� to dictate Tehran鈥檚 foreign policy.


A database set up by ACLED, a non-profit monitor, showed more than 130 Houthi attacks against warships, commercial vessels, and Israeli and other targets since October 19, 2023.
While the Red Sea trade route normally carries around 12 percent of world shipping traffic, Houthi attacks have forced many companies into costly detours around southern Africa.
The United States had already launched several rounds of strikes on Houthi targets under former president Joe Biden.
Israel has also struck Yemen, most recently in December, after Houthi missile fire toward Israeli territory.
The rebels control large swathes of Yemen, including most of its population centers, after ousting the internationally recognized government from Sanaa.
They have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the government since 2015, a conflict that has triggered a major humanitarian crisis.
Fighting has largely been on hold since a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022, but the peace process has stalled following the Houthi attacks over Gaza.