On March 15, 2025, the United States launched large-scale air and naval strikes against the Iran-backedHouthi movement in Yemen, marking the most significant US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office.[1] The first wave of strikes targeted Houthi radars, air defenses, and missile and drone systems in the country.[2] According to the US Central Command, the strikes mark the beginning of an extensive operation,[1] aiming to restore security in the Red Sea, which had been disrupted for months of Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels.[2]
The Houthis, part of Iran's Axis of Resistance, have launched over 190 attacks on shipping,[3] sinking two vessels, seizing another, and killing at least four seafarers.[1] They have turned these attacks into a lucrative racket, reportedly earning billions by offering safe passage to those who pay.[4] The group has also fired ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, killing one civilian in Tel Aviv.[5][6] In response, the US, UK, and Israel, backed by a multinational coalition, have carried out military strikes to degrade Houthi capabilities.[7][3]
Trump warned the Houthis that "Your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today," threatening that if they continued, "hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before." He also warned Iran to halt its support, vowing to hold it "fully accountable" for its proxy's actions.[7][8] The escalation comes as Iran faces growing international scrutiny over its uranium enrichment program, with the International Atomic Energy Agency raising concerns about its proximity to weapons-grade levels.[1]
Background
Map of Houthi activity near the Yemeni coast: Houthi-controlled Yemen (SPC)Government of Yemen (PLC)Houthi attacks (red) and hijackings (blue)
The Houthis have fought against a Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States, for over a decade. Since the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023, they have repeatedly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea using missiles, drones, and explosive-laden boats, forcing many shipping companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa at higher costs.[2][8] Since November 2023, they have launched over 190 attacks on shipping,[3] sunk two vessels, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers, disrupting global trade.[1]The Economist reported that Red Sea cargo shipments had decreased by 70% in volume as a result of these attacks.[4] By demanding payments from shipowners in exchange for safe passage, the Houthis have reportedly turned their attacks into a business model, generating substantial revenue through black-market transactions and a form of maritime extortion.[4]
While other members of Iran's Axis of Resistance—including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime—suffered major setbacks or were dismantled, the Houthis have leveraged Yemen's geography and state fragility to remain in power.[4][1] Following a cease-fire in Gaza in January 2025, they halted their attacks, but tensions resurfaced when they threatened to resume attacks on Israel if humanitarian aid to Gaza was disrupted. The Houthis also fired a missile at a US Air Force F-16 and claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone. The US administration redesignated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization in January 2025.[2]
Weapons analysts have suggested that the Houthis may have acquired advanced drone technology, potentially increasing their operational range.[2] Many of the militia's weapons are either manufactured in underground facilities or smuggled from Iran,[2] their primary backer.[1] Iran's enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels remains a major international concern.[1] Meanwhile, economic hardship in Iran has fueled domestic unrest.[1]
Strikes
March 15
The strikes, which US officials described as the most significant military action of Trump's second term, were carried out by fighter jets from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, stationed in the northern Red Sea,[2] and United States Air Force attack planes and armed drones launched from regional bases.[2]
The airstrikes targeted multiple sites across Yemen, including the Sanaa airport complex, which houses a major military facility, with images showing black smoke billowing over the area.[7] Strikes also hit the Shouab district in northern Sanaa,[7] military installations in Taiz, and a power station in Dahyan.[1]
The Houthis have labeled the strikes a "war crime" and vowed retaliation.[1]
Purpose
President Donald Trump said the Houthis were waging a campaign of "piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones",[8] and vowed to use "overwhelming lethal force" until Houthi attacks on shipping cease, declaring that "No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World."[7]
Trump, addressing the Houthis, said: "Your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don't, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."[8] He also warned Iran to end its support for the Houthis, promising to hold it "fully accountable" for its proxy's actions.[7][8]
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote that "Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice," adding that "freedom of navigation will be restored."[1]
Trump authorized the strike plan, which had been in development for several weeks, with the final order issued on Saturday, March 15. Select members of Congress received briefings from the White House the same day.[14]
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Houthis 
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