Yemeni army claims attack on US aircraft carrier in Red Sea with 18 ballistic, cruise missiles; US vows retaliation

Yemeni army claimed on Sunday (March 16) that they launched 18 ballistic and cruise missiles along with a drone at the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and other vessels in the northern Red Sea.

Military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that US-led airstrikes on Saturday targeted seven governorates in Yemen, resulting in over 47 airstrikes. The death toll is expected to rise, he warned.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target all American warships in the Red Sea and in the Arabian Sea in retaliation to the aggression against our country,” Saree declared. He also vowed that the Houthis “will continue to impose a naval blockade on the Israeli enemy” until aid reaches Gaza.

US responds with strong warnings

The United States has vowed to escalate its response following the Houthi attacks on military and commercial vessels in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “We’re not going to have these people controlling which ships can go through and which ones cannot… It will go on until they no longer have the capability to do that.”

US President Donald Trump earlier issued a strong warning, pledging “overwhelming lethal force” against the Houthis and stating that Tehran would be held “fully accountable” for their actions.

Houthis’ Red Sea attacks and ceasefire collapse

The Houthis have allegedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, claiming it as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in January temporarily halted the attacks, but the Houthis announced last week that they would resume targeting Israeli vessels after Israel cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza.

US strikes kill Houthi fighters

The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that US strikes overnight killed at least 31 people, including women and children, and wounded over 100 in the capital Sanaa and Saada province, a Houthi stronghold near the Saudi border.

National Security Adviser Michael Waltz stated that the strikes had “actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out”, but did not provide further details.

Rubio also detailed the scale of Houthi attacks, revealing that the group had directly attacked U.S. Navy ships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times over the last 18 months, using “guided precision anti-ship weaponry.”

Iran denies involvement as Trump issues warning

Iran has denied any involvement in the Houthi attacks following Trump’s warning to Tehran.

Trump addressed Iran directly, stating, “America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!”

Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, denied involvement, stating on state-run TV that Iran “plays no role in setting the national or operational policies” of its militant allies.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the US to halt airstrikes, stating that Washington “cannot dictate Iran’s foreign policy.”

Growing tensions and military escalation

With both sides vowing further action, the US-Houthi conflict in the Red Sea is escalating rapidly. While the US continues airstrikes, the Houthis remain defiant, warning that all American warships in the region are potential targets.