Suspected US air strikes have been carried out on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight. At least one person was reportedly killed in the attack, with the full extent of damage and casualties not immediately clear.
The US has not confirmed the strikes, which targeted multiple areas under the control of the Houthis, including the capital Sanaa, rebel-controlled media reported. The strikes in Saada killed one person and wounded four others, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency, which identified the person killed as a civilian. Houthi fighters and their allies often aren’t in uniform and analysts believe the rebels may be undercounting the fatalities given the strikes have been targeting military and intelligence sites.
The US has been carrying out strikes on the rebels after they threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid entering Gaza.
The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well.
The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors during their campaign targeting ships from November 2023 until January of this year.
Royal Navy warships, alongside allies, have helped thwart the Houthi attacks on shipping in what is one of the world’s most crucial waterways.
The overnight attack followed a night of air strikes early on Friday, which appeared more intense than previously.
The US earlier acknowledged striking a major military site in the heart of Sanaa.
It comes amid the continued fallout over the leaked Signal messages where an American journalist was inadvertently added to a group chat in which senior members of the Trump administration discussed plans to attack the Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month.
RAF aircraft refuelled US jets protecting the aircraft carrier from which the strikes were launched on March 15.
Washington is sending a second aircraft carrier group to the region as the US appears to intensify its campaign on the Houthis which also aims to put pressure on Iran with Donald Trump wanting Tehran to enter talks over a new nuclear deal.
