MarketMarch–May 2025 United States attacks in Yemen
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March–May 2025 United States attacks in Yemen

In March 2025, the United States launched a large campaign of air and naval strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Codenamed Operation Rough Rider, it was the first large-scale US military operation in the Middle East during President Donald Trump's second term. The strikes began on March 15, targeting radar systems, air defenses, and ballistic and drone launch sites used by the Houthis to attack commercial ships and naval vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On 30 April 2025, the United Kingdom joined the United States in conducting strikes on Houthi targets.

Background
The Houthis are a Shia Islamist military and political group located in Yemen, Emerging in the 1990s, they played a major role in Yemen's civil war, opposing the Presidential Leadership Council (SLC). The group took control over northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, since 2014, Since November 2023, they have conducted over 190 attacks on shipping, sunk two vessels, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers, disrupting global trade. In response, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, with support from a multi­national coalition, launched attacks in Yemen to disrupt their capabilities. The Houthis also fired a missile at a US Air Force F-16 and shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone. President Trump redesignated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization in January 2025. In February 2025, CBS News reported that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had rolled back constraints on American commanders, allowing them to authorize airstrikes and special operations raids outside conventional battlefields. This broadened the range of people who could be targeted, with the Houthis being among the first under the new rule. Weapons analysts have suggested that the Houthis may have acquired advanced drone technology, potentially increasing their operational range. Many of the militia's weapons are either manufactured in underground facilities or smuggled from Iran, their primary backer. Iran's enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels remains a major international concern. Meanwhile, economic hardship in Iran has fueled domestic unrest. == Prelude ==
Prelude
Following Trump's election, Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of the United States Central Command, proposed an 8–10 month bombing campaign based on Israel's operation against Hezbollah, where the US would strike Houthi air defenses before conducting targeted assassinations against senior Houthi officials. Saudi officials who supported Kurilla's proposal provided a list of 12 prominent Houthi leaders, stating that their assassinations would "cripple" the group. In early March, Trump partially approved Kurilla's plan, giving it 30 days to exhibit results in a campaign named "Operation Rough Rider" by Pete Hegseth. On 13 March 2025, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz created a Signal group chat called "Houthi PC small group", for Trump administration officials to coordinate the attacks. The group included accounts that seemed to correspond to Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, Scott Bessent, Pete Hegseth, John Ratcliffe, Steve Witkoff, Susie Wiles, Joe Kent, and Stephen Miller. Waltz also accidentally added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg. This incident became known as Signalgate. On the morning of 14 March, Vance messaged the group asking for the attacks to be delayed by one month, saying: "I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now" and that the attacks "risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices". But Hegseth convinced Vance to continue with the attack, saying that the attacks were "not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered." Miller messaged at 9:35 a.m. ET that Trump had given approval for the attacks. Trump authorized the attack plan, which had been in development for several weeks, with the final order issued on Saturday, 15 March. Some members of Congress received briefings from the White House the same day. == Strikes ==
Strikes
First week (15–21 March 2025) 15 March At least 40 air raids took place across Yemen, mainly in the capital of Sanaa and in Saada Governorate. The eight strikes in Sanaa included one on a residential area that killed 15 people and injured nine others; one on the Sanaa International Airport, which houses a major military facility, with images showing black smoke billowing over the area; Twelve strikes hit Saada, including one on a power station in Dahyan that caused a power outage. In Kahza, Ibb Governorate, Houthi media reported that 15 people were killed after American attacks hit two residential buildings. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) independently determined that at least 2 children were killed in the attack. Waltz claimed that the attacks killed several Houthi leaders and indicated that the US would consider hitting Iranian targets in Yemen. In the Signal chat, Hegseth said that the strikes had killed the Houthis' "top missile guy". 16 March Airstrikes hit military headquarters, weapon storage facilities, and detection equipment used to locate shipping. Al-Masirah reported two US strikes in Al Hudaydah. Saudi news outlet AlHadath reported that the security chief of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi was killed in Saada. The Houthis claimed that they targeted the aircraft carrier using 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and a drone. A US official said that a US aircraft shot down 11 drones launched by Houthis towards USS Harry S. Truman and a missile fired by Houthis failed in flight and splashed down into the sea. Later, the Houthis said that they fired missiles and drones towards USS Harry S. Truman and its several warships for the second time. Institute for the Study of War reported that US airstrikes in Al Jawf Governorate killed three Houthi officials, including Commander Zain al Abidin al Mahtouri in al Hazm. 17 March Two early-morning air raids in the port city of Al Hudaydah hit a cotton ginning factory and the command cabin of the hijacked Israel-linked cargo ship Galaxy Leader, Houthi-aligned Saba News Agency reported. Saba also said strikes had damaged an under-construction cancer facility in Saada. Another strike killed "Abu Taha" Zain al-Abidin Ali Abdullah al-Muhturi, a senior official in the Houthi internal security department, in the headquarters of the government complex in the city of Al-Hazm, the center of Al Jawf Governorate, northeast of Sanaa. Other strikes hit the Al-Habashi Iron Factory in the Bajil district of Al Hudaydah Governorate and sites south of the presidential compound in Sanaa. Lieutenant General Alex Grynkewich, US Joint Staff Director for Operations, said that more than 30 targets in Yemen had been struck since the bombing campaign began, killing dozens of Houthi militants. Trump declared in a post that more Houthi attacks would be viewed as direct actions, or casus belli, by Iran that would incur severe consequences. 18 March Agence France-Presse was told by witnesses that three strikes were conducted in Saada in the late night. 19 March Houthi media reported that at least 10 strikes were conducted by the US in Sanaa and Al Hudaydah. US strikes on Sanaa injured seven women and two children in a residential neighborhood. Al-Masirah also reported strikes in Al-Sawadiya, southeast of Sanaa. ISW reported airstrikes on the Houthi's Communications Ministry and Postal Authority in Sanaa. but later Houthi aligned media reported a total of five strikes in Al Hudaydah Governorate, including one hitting a cotton processing plant in Zabid, the cotton processing plant had allegedly been converted into a mines and explosive devices factory. US also conducted an airstrike near Safraa. Yemen's Houthi-run health ministry said that a US airstrike hit a wedding hall which was under construction in Sanaa, injuring nine people, including women and children. 21 March Yemeni media reported that US fighter jets conducted six air strikes in At Tuhayta district including strikes reportedly targeting a Houthi military base in al Fazah-al Tuhayta. Three Houthi commanders were killed in airstrikes in Majzar, Marib Governorate. A Houthi military base and ammunition depot was targeted in a US airstrike in Al Jawf Governorate. The strikes in western Sanaa reportedly targeted a Houthi ammunition depot. Saba News Agency reported a US attack on the Port of Salif. Saba news agency also reported US bombings in Sahar district and Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district. It also reported that the US conducted five air attacks in Marib Governorate. According to Michael Waltz, the attacks killed key Houthi leaders, including their "head missileer", and also targeted their headquarters, communication nodes, arms factories, and unmanned surface vehicle production facilities. On 24 March, Saudi media outlet Al Hadath reported that a high-level Houthi official was killed in overnight US airstrikes in Sanaa. On 25 March, Saba News Agency reported that US air strikes in the outskirts of Saada injured at least two people. Saba News Agency reported that a US strike hit a cancer hospital in Saada Governorate for the second time, destroying it. ISW reported a total of 12 airstrikes in Saada Governorate. On 26 March, ISW reported that the US conducted at least 14 airstrikes against Houthi infrastructure and leadership. The Houthi-linked Al-Masirah reported two US strikes in Saada Governorate. Al-Masirah reported US strikes in the Saada area, Al Salem district in Saada Governorate and Harf Sufyan district. Al-Masirah also reported more US strikes in Sanaa. The Yemen Data Project reported that at least 25 civilians, including four children, were killed and at least 28 civilians were wounded in the airstrike campaign so far. Third week (27 March – 2 April) The Houthi-linked Al Masirah TV reported that four US attacks hit a stone quarry in the al-Arqoub area in the Khawlan district, killing at least two people and injuring two others. Al Masirah TV also reported that US strikes hit Sahlain and al-Salem areas of Saada Governorate. ISW reported at least 23 airstrikes in Yemen on 27 March. On 27 March, a spokesman of the Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed that B-2 Spirit stealth bombers had been moved to an air base on the Diego Garcia atoll in the Indian Ocean. The base has been used in the past as a launch point for major operations in the Middle East, including the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the first significant deployment of B-2s to Diego Garcia since 2020, and there was media speculation that it is connected to the US campaign in Yemen. That happened five months after the Biden administration also used B-2s to strike targets in Yemen in hopes of compelling the Houthis to cease their attacks on shipping. On 16 October 2024, B-2s flying from RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, Australia, struck five underground weapons storage facilities owned by the Houthis. It was believed the strikes were also meant to demonstrate to Iran the US military's ability to destroy targets buried underground. On 28 March, Houthi media reported that a new series of US airstrikes throughout areas controlled by Houthis in Yemen, including neighborhoods in Sanaa, wounded at least seven people. It also reported that targeted areas included places where many of the Houthi leadership reside. ISW reported at least 44 airstrikes on March 28 including at least eight airstrikes targeting a Houthi military base, underground facilities and communication infrastructure in Jabal al Aswad, Amran Governorate as well as the Houthi military headquarters in Sanaa. Houthis published a list of 41 fighters that had been killed although the actual number of casualties was not disclosed. CENTCOM conducted eight airstrikes targeting three new Houthi military bases and ammunition depots in Sanhan District and also struck the Houthis' government complex in Hazm City. United States Central Command said that it struck "Houthi positions". On 30 March, Houthi media reported that US airstrikes hit Saada and Saada Governorate. It also reported that US airstrikes struck Sanaa, Sanaa Governorate and Al-Salem district. CENTCOM conducted an air strike on a vehicle on the N5 highway in al Tour, Hajjah Governorate killing two likely high ranking Houthi commanders. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said that US strikes which started on 15 March killed 59 people and injured 136 others. It also said that those killed include women and children. The Houthis reported US airstrikes around Sanaa—where one person was killed—and in Hajjah Governorate, where a strike on a pickup truck killed two and injured a child. Footage from Al-Masirah showed broken glass in homes but did not show the target of the strikes. The militant group reported that 12 people were wounded in the strikes. Al Masirah reported that the US conducted four strikes on Jadr area in the Bani Al Harith district, killing at least one person and injuring at least five others. Al Masirah reported citing Yemeni Health Ministry that US strikes hit the Bani Qais area, killing two people and injuring a child. Al Masirah reported two US strikes on Kamaran. Houthis claimed that air defences shot down a US General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper above Marib Governorate. On 1 April, ISW reported a total of at least 27 airstrikes targeting Houthi forces. Al Masirah reported that US carried out 15 strikes in Saada Governorate, including Saada, Maiz district, Sahar district and the Jarban area in Sanhan and Bani Bahlul district. United States Central Command said that it targeted Houthi positions. Al Masirah also reported that US carried out two strikes on Mount Nab Shuaib in the Bani Matar district. US conducted three airstrikes at al Dailami Airbase near Sanaa International Airport and also struck Kamaran island. On 2 April, ISW reported at least 22 airstrikes. The Associated Press reported that US strikes continued through the night into Wednesday, April 2. Houthi forces said that a strike targeted a "water project" in the Mansuriyah district, near Hodeida, killing at least four and wounding more. Houthi media also reported US strikes in Saada Governorate. Four airstrikes were conducted on Houthi training grounds in Mansuriyah District. Al-Masirah also reported a US strike in Saada. CENTCOM conducted an airstrike on 2 April on al Fazah in Hudaydah Governorate, killing 70 Houthi fighters including many mid-ranking Houthi military and intelligence officials and the al Tuhayta Axis Commander Najib Kashri and the Houthis' Red Sea Coastal Region Commander Abu Taleb, the whereabouts of the latter remained unknown while the former was confirmed to be killed. Fourth week (3–9 April 2025) On 3 April, ISW reported at least 28 airstrikes targeting Houthi forces and infrastructure. Al-Masirah reported that US fighter jets conducted more strikes, including a strike which hit a communications network in Jabal Namah, in the Jablah district of the Ibb Governorate, killing one person. It also reported that US forces conducted two strikes in the Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district, and a strike on the Kahlan area east of Saada. Houthi-linked media also reported a US strike on a car in Majz district reportedly killing the personal assistant of Houthi Interior Minister Abdulkarim al Houthi. and in Saada targeting command and control sites. CENTCOM conducted at least two airstrikes targeting a Houthi military base in Kahlan. The Houthis said that they launched the drone and shot down a Giant Shark F360 reconnaissance drone over Saada Governorate with "a locally made surface-to-air missile". On 5 April, Al Masirah reported that US fighter jets conducted two air strikes on the Kahlan area east of Saada. Yemeni media reported that four additional US airstrikes hit Saada. Al Masirah TV also reported that a US strike hit a solar energy store in the Hafsin area, west of Saada, killing two one person and injuring at least four others. United States Central Command said that its strikes targeted Houthi targets. CENTCOM conducted airstrikes on Houthi naval sites in Kamaran. had targeted Houthi naval sites. Trump posted a video that purported to show an April 2 airstrike on Houthis, Saudi media outlet AlHadath reported that US strikes in Yemen killed the head of Houthi intelligence, Abdulnaser al Kamali in a targeted strike on his vehicle. CENTCOM conducted an unspecified number of airstrikes targeting 13 Houthi military officials during a meeting at Sheikh Saleh al Suhaili's house in Sanaa, Houthi sources reported four dead and 25 wounded. Houthi-linked later reported that death toll increased to at least six deaths including at least three children and two women and 16 injuries and again later to 10 people killed and 16 others injured. On 9 April, ISW reported at least 20 airstrikes including at least four airstrikes targeting communications sites in two sorties as well as strikes on a Houthi barracks in Hudaydah City. However ISW later reported that the strike in As Sabain district actually may have killed a relatively more high-value Houthi leader, as it targeted a car between al Saleh Mosque and the gate of the Presidential Palace, and that the three killed were likely Houthi fighters. Fifth week (10–16 April) On 10 April, ISW reported 9 airstrikes including three airstrikes targeting Houthi underground facilities and weapons depots in Mount Nuqum in Sanaa and five more airstrikes targeting two other Houthi weapons depots around Sanaa as well as strikes on Houthi barracks and weapons depots on Kamaran. On 11 April, ISW reported at least 11 airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure and leadership near Sanaa including one airstrike targeting Houthi underground facilities and weapons depots in Mount Nuqum. US fighter jets also conducted a wave of strikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen including Sanaa, Faj Attan in Ma'ain district, Jabal Nuqum and Bani Hushaysh district. ISW later reported on 14 April that three airstrikes in Bani Hushaysh District struck Houthi weapons depots. On 12 April, Al Masirah reported that US strikes hit several areas in Yemen including a vocational institute in As Sawma'ah district. It also reported that three strikes hit al-Salheen in Saada Governorate. ISW stated that five strikes took place in As Sawama'ah. Two airstrikes struck a likely Houthi communications site in Baraa. On 14 April, ISW reported at least 47 airstrikes between 11 and 14 April. Houthi-run Health Ministry said that US strikes in Yemen killed 123 people including children and women and injured 247 others. On 15 April, ISW reported at least 27 airstrikes including at least seven airstrikes targeting Houthi barracks and depots on Kamaran as well as on military bases near the al Jawf Junction in Sanaa. Al Masirah reported that US air strikes hit Kamaran island and Az Zahir district. Al Masirah reported that at least 13 US strikes hit al-Salem and Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district of Saada Governorate. It also reported that US strikes hit Harf Sufyan district and the outskirts of Sanaa. On 16 April, ISW reported at least 39 airstrikes including 15 airstrikes on Houthi warehouses on Kamaran, 15 airstrike on underground bases in the Saada, five strikes on training camps in al Bayda Governorate and an unspecified number of airstrikes in Mayfaar Ans District and Harf Sufyan District. Al Masirah reported that one person was killed in a US strike in al-Nahda residential neighbourhood of al-Thawra district. It also reported that 14 US strikes hit al-Hafa area of As Sabain district. It added that three US strikes hit Bani Hushaysh district and US forces targeted Manakhah district and Al Hazm district. Yemeni media also reported that Saudi Arabia bombed the Shada'a District of Saada Governorate with artillery and missiles. Sixth week (17–23 April) On 17 April, ISW reported at least 30 airstrikes including 14 airstrikes targeting Houthi underground facilities at Mount Nuqum and six other airstrikes, elsewhere in Sanaa Governorate with one hitting building in Sanaa killing many fighters and two airstrikes targeting Houthi supply between Sanaa and eastern front As well as 10 airstrikes in Hudaydah Governorate with seven at the al Tuhayta axis. Al-Masirah reported that US fighter jets conducted more strikes in Al Munirah district. The US military said that it struck Ras Issa fuel port in western Yemen, saying that it was a Houthi fuel source. Al-Mashirah reported that the strike killed at least 80 people and injured at least 150 others. On 18 April, ISW reported 19 airstrikes including 14 airstrikes targeting Ras Issa Port and three airstrikes targeting a Houthi command site in Mukayras District as well as two airstrikes in Arhab District. Al-Masirah reported that multiple US strikes hit the al-Hafa area of As Sabain district. It also reported four US strikes in Bani Hushaysh district. Al-Masirah also reported three US strikes in Saada Governorate. It also reported four US strikes in Bart Al Anan district and Khabb wa ash Sha'af district. The Houthis also claimed they shot down a US drone conducting "hostile acts" around Sanaa Governorate. On 19 April, Al-Masirah reported four US strikes in Arhab district and also reported that US jets conducted 13 air strikes on Hudaydah Port and Hodeida International Airport. Al Masirah reported that a US strike in al-Thawra, Bani Matar and al-Safiah district of Sanaa killed three people and wounded four others. Houthi-affiliated Yemeni media reported that US conducted at least 29 air strikes throughout Yemen in the evening, targeting Sanaa Governorate, 'Amran Governorate, Marib Governorate and Al Hudaydah Governorate. CENTCOM also struck Kamaran Island and conducted a total of at least 13 airstrikes in Sanaa. The Houthis claimed that they shot down a US drone above Sanaa. On 20 April, Al-Masirah reported US airstrikes in Kamaran island and Al Jubah district. Houthi media reported two US airstrikes in Attan area of Sanaa. It also reported that US airstrikes hit a sanitation project in Asr, Furwah and a popular market in Shaub district. The Houthis said that US strikes on a market in Sanaa killed 12 people, while strikes in al-Farwah wounded 30 people. They added that US strikes hit Saada Governorate. Two attacks in al Mahwit Governorate and Sanaa initially reported as US Air strikes were later shown to be unsuccessful missile launches by Houthis per OSINT. US conducted four airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure on Kamaran and an unspecified number of airstrikes in Sanaa and in Barash Camp. Al-Masirah reported several US air strikes in Yemen including in Sanaa, the Brash area in Sanaa Governorate, Kamaran island, Majzar district, Sirwah district and Al Abdiyah district. Al-Masirah later reported a wave of US air strikes in Kamaran island, two in As Salif district and as-Saleem district in Saada Governorate. The Houthis claimed to have downed a US General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper conducting "hostile missions" over Hajjah Governorate. On 23 April, ISW reported at least 22 airstrikes, including three on Houthi barracks in Majzar District and others on infrastructure in Hazm District and al Jawf district. At least four hit Houthi infrastructure on Kamaran, at least two targeted al Salif Port, and at least four targeted Hudaydah Airport. A Houthi communications site in western Taiz Governorate was also struck. Al-Masirah reported three strikes in Marib Governorate and four on the communications network in the Maqbanah district of Taiz Governorate. Seventh week (24–30 April 2025) On 24 April, ISW reported at least 27 airstrikes including: two on Houthi facilities in Sirwah District; at least six on Houthi sites in al Tuhayta District, and some in northern Sanaa on Houthi leaders. Al-Masirah reported 15 attacks: one attack in the Zaid neighbourhood of al-Jarf al-Sharqi, north of Sanaa, that damaged several houses and wounded one person; six attacks in the Brash area east of Mount Nuqum; six strikes in the Sahlin area of al-Salem district; and three attacks north of Saada. US strikes also killed the Houthi security commander for Majzar District. A CENTCOM spokesman said that the campaign had struck more than 800 Houthi targets, caused more than 650 Houthi casualties, and reduced Houthi missile attacks by 87 percent and drone attacks by 65 percent. On 25 April, ISW reported a total of at least 28 airstrikes including: at least seven on Houthi infrastructure in Majzar and Madghal districts; at least 11 on Houthi sites in Bajil District, al Salif Port, and Kamaran; and others on Houthi sites in al Haymah, Manakhah, Bani Hashish, and Harib Nihm districts. The US military said, without evidence, that a Houthi missile exploded near the Old City of Sanaa. Al-Masirah reported at least six strikes on Bajil district; four in Takhiya area of Majz district; and one that hit a house east of Sahar district, killing a woman and injuring another person. US forces also carried out four strikes in Ras Isa area of As Salif district, and one strike in At Tawilah district. The US confirmed that the Houthis downed seven General Atomics MQ-9 Reapers. On 26 April, US conducted five strikes at Ras Issa Port and Kamaran Island as well as additional strikes on command-and-control centers near the Presidential Complex in Sanaa and near Mount Yajoura, and also hit a house owner by a Houthi businessman in October 14 neighborhood of Sanaa. Yemen's Houthi-run Health Ministry said that US strikes in As Sabain district killed two people and injured another, while nine others including two women and three children were injured in Bani Al Harith district. Al Mashirah later reported that at least eight people including women and children were killed in US strikes in the Bani Al Harith district, north of Sanaa. Saba News Agency reported two US strikes in Harf Sufyan district and two US strikes in Harf Sufyan district. On 28 April, ISW reported 56 airstrikes including 19 in Majzar and Madghal districts, Rabt al Anan and Nihm District, Sanaa Governorate Three strikes struck Sanaa, one killing nine Houthi fighters including three senior officers. Al-Mashirah and human rights organization Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported that US strikes hit a detention centre holding African migrants in Saada Governorate, killing at least 68 people and injuring 47 others. Amnesty International said the strike may be a war crime. An F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman and was lost at sea. On 29 April, ISW reported at least 17 airstrikes including four consecutive strikes struck a Houthi site in Maqbanah District and six strikes targeting Rabt Al Anan. Al-Mashirah reported that US airstrikes targeted Bani Matar district, Bani Hushaysh district and Al Hasan, Yemen. The British Royal Air Force conducted its first operation during the campaign, targeting a cluster of buildings located 24 kilometers south of Sanaa. UK intelligence identified the buildings as a manufacturing center for Houthi drones used in naval attacks in the Red Sea. The operation, which involved Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets armed with Paveway IV guided bombs, involved "very careful planning ... to allow the targets to be prosecuted with minimal risk to civilians or non-military infrastructure" according to the British Ministry of Defense. The airstrikes were carried out at night to further reduce the chance of civilian casualties. British forces successfully carried out the operation and returned to base unharmed, while defense secretary John Healey later said in Parliament "initial assessment is that the planned targets were all successfully hit and we've seen no evidence of civilian casualties." On 30 April, ISW reported at least 17 airstrikes. The UK Defense Ministry said that British forces took part in a joint operation with US forces against a Houthi target in Yemen. Eighth week (1–6 May) On 1 May, ISW reported at least 10 airstrikes. Six airstrikes took place in al Khab al Shaaf District. On 2 May, ISW reported at least 28 airstrikes. On 3 May, Saba News Agency reported that the US conducted overnight strikes on Sanaa, Bani Hushaysh district and Khabb wa ash Sha'af district. Al-Masirah reported two US air strikes on Kamaran island and As Salif district. On 4 May, Al-Masirah reported US strikes throughout Yemen including 10 air attacks on Al Hazm district and five air attacks on Majzar district, Marib Governorate. On 5 May, ISW reported a total of at least 108 airstrikes since 2 May including at least 57 in northeastern Yemen, 20 in Sanaa and additional strikes near Saada, moreover Kamaran, Ras Issa, and al Salif Port were struck at least five times. Saba News Agency reported reported 10 US strikes in and around Sanaa including two targeting Arbaeen Street in Sanaa and one on the airport road. The Houthi Health Ministry said that 14 people were injured in the Sawan neighborhood. Al-Mashirah reported three US air strikes in Khabb wa ash Sha'af district, two strikes on Sanaa's Attan area and two on Raghwan district. Israel and the United States launched a joint-operational attack on Yemen on the port city of Hodeidah, as a response to the Houthi bombarding the Gurion Airport in Israel. The IDF said that it carried out airstrikes in Yemen, saying that it is a response to Houthi ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport one day prior and previous attacks. The strikes conducted by IAF fighter jets targeted Houthi infrastructure along the coast of Yemen, including Hudaydah Port, and a concrete factory in Bajil, saying that they were used for militant purposes. Al-Masirah reported that an Israeli attack on a cement factory in Bajil killed two people and injured at least 42 others. Al-Masirah reported that US airstrikes hit Hodeidah's Ras Isa oil port in Hodeidah and another in the Al-Sawad area of Sanaa Governorate. Al-Masirah reported 10 US air strikes in Al Hazm, Yemen and two strikes in Sanhan and Bani Bahlul district. On 6 May, ISW reported at least seven airstrikes including at least four airstrikes in al Sawad in Sanaa and three strikes on Ras Issa Port, all strikes occurred before the ceasefire agreement. For the second time during the bombing campaign, an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman and was lost at sea. == Ceasefire ==
Ceasefire
On 6 May 2025, US president Donald Trump declared an end to the strikes on Yemen, stating that they were over, "effective immediately," as a result of a ceasefire between the US and the Houthis, brokered by Oman. According to reports, Iran played a role in persuading the Houthis to reach a truce with the United States to help build "momentum" for the 2025 Iran–United States negotiations. According to Israeli officials, Israel was not given "advance notice" of the US-Houthi ceasefire. Israeli media described the ceasefire as "very bad news for Israel" and "doubly surpris[ing]". Following the ceasefire deal, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that "Israel will defend itself by itself." == Foreign involvement ==
Foreign involvement
Before the campaign, the UK had not officially acknowledged launching airstrikes in Yemen since May 2024. All previous British airstrikes were conducted during the tenure of UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and US president Joe Biden. Declassified UK published an investigation on 18 March which showed that 53 people, including women and children, had died from US fighter jets aided by British aerial refuelling. The UK conducted its first operation during the campaign, which was also its operation under US president Donald Trump, on 29 April. The British defense secretary stated that the airstrikes were "in the interests of our national and economic security" and were to "prevent further attacks against UK and International shipping." A Saudi official has denied reports claiming Riyadh is providing logistical support for US attacks on Yemen. Speaking to Al Arabiya, the official dismissed the allegations as "misleading" and stated that the kingdom is not supplying oil for the military operations. The dismissal comes after reports that the UK assisted in refueling US fighter jets over Saudi Arabian airspace, while the Houthis have vowed to take action "against any country that cooperates with the American enemy". The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel provided intelligence from an individual in Yemen about a senior Houthi figure who would later be targeted in the March 15 airstrike, which was discussed in a group chat on Signal. On 28 March, The New Arab reported that Houthi politburo member Mohammed Al-Farah accused UAE-allied separatist groups, including the Southern Transitional Council, of providing intelligence to the US military for their airstrikes, calling them "traitors" and stating that "the UAE's mercenaries stand out more than anyone else in their vileness and depravity." He threatened that if the separatist groups continued supplying intelligence to the US, his group would not only consider striking Mokha or Shabwa but could also strike Abu Dhabi and Dubai directly in response. The country was previously targeted by the Houthis in January 2022 in response to its involvement in the Yemeni Civil War. == Reactions ==
Reactions
Yemen The Houthi political bureau called the attacks a war crime. Another senior Houthi member told Al Arabiya said that the attacks violated Yemen's sovereignty and would be met with a "painful and deterrent" response. On 18 March, the pro-Houthi Yemeni Armed Forces stated that "the US aggression will not deter the steadfast and struggling Yemen from fulfilling its religious, moral, and humanitarian duties toward the Palestinian people", and reiterated the Houthis' demand for Israel to lift the blockade against the Gaza Strip. The UN-recognized Presidential Leadership Council urged the international community to strengthen cooperation and adopt a comprehensive strategy to counter the Houthi militias and block their funding. The PLC stated that US strikes signaled a shift in the international approach to the Houthis, emphasizing that their threat now extends beyond Yemen and its neighbors, endangering global security and stability. On 17 March, tens of thousands of protesters marched in support of the Houthis in Sanaa, Saada, Dhamar, Al Hudaydah, and 'Amran. Houthi military response On 16 March, the Houthis stated that they fired 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and a drone at and its carrier strike group. On the morning of 17 March, the Houthis claimed another strike on USS Harry S. Truman and surrounding warships, consisting of 18 missiles and a drone. A fourth attack on the aircraft carrier, consisting of cruise missiles and drones, was claimed by the Houthis on 19 March. According to a May 2025 report from The New York Times, several American F-16s and an F-35 fighter jet were nearly struck by Houthi air defenses. In a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, Iran's permanent representative Amir Saeed Iravani stated that Trump and other US officials have made "reckless and provocative statements" containing "baseless accusations" and threats of force against Tehran. He dismissed claims made by Trump regarding Iranian support to the Houthis, accusing the US president of attempting to "unlawfully justify acts of aggression and war crimes against Yemen". He warned that any aggression against Iran would have severe consequences, for which the US would be fully accountable, and urged the Security Council to take serious note of inflammatory statements and ensure compliance with the UN Charter. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah issued a statement condemning the attacks. Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba also condemned the attacks and vowed to respond. Iran described the strikes on the Ras Issa fuel port on April 17 as "barbaric" while Hamas called them "blatant aggression." International United Nations secretary-general António Guterres called for a cessation of military activities in the region and warned that an escalation could destabilize Yemen and worsen the nation's humanitarian situation. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov called for an end to the strikes and urged for diplomatic talks to find a peaceful solution during a call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called for dialogue and a deescalation, while affirming China's position against a military escalation in the region. North Korean Ambassador to Egypt, Ma Dong-hee, who is also accredited to Yemen, condemns the attacks as a US threat to regional and global order. == Military plan leak ==
Military plan leak
The addition of Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to Waltz's Signal chat group, and the subsequent revelation that Hegseth had sent attack plans in an unsecure platform, drew widespread criticism. and JD Vance discussing the result of the attacks Some national security experts suggested that the coordination of the attacks over Signal likely violated the Espionage Act and the Federal Records Act. When questioned by reporters on 24 March, the day Goldberg's article about the leak was published, Hegseth responded, "Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that." Hegseth also described Goldberg as "deceitful and highly discredited". Reactions of US politicians On March 24, 2025, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called for a Congressional investigation to be opened to understand how this operational security breach occurred. Jeffries called the incident "reckless, irresponsible and dangerous". Following confirmation by a spokesperson for the National Security Council that the leaked group chat was real, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective, President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz". Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Senator Roger Wicker responded to the leak stating, "We're very concerned about it and we'll be looking into it on a bipartisan basis." == Analysis ==
Analysis
The expert think tank Atlantic Council expressed doubt about the practicality of United States war aims. It stated that it will be challenging to track down Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi due to "limited intelligence on the ground in Yemen," adding that this is the same reason behind the US's "difficulty assessing the success of its operations" throughout its Red Sea operations in 2024. The Hill opinionated that the Houthis will become stronger. An article in Responsible Statecraft claimed there is hypocrisy in Trump policies for paying for war that Europe mostly benefits from. Europe is mostly affected by the shipping lane disruption, while the US paid the cost of the bombings. An article by Middle East Monitor, a Qatar-funded pro-Hamas lobbying group, claims that the US failed to meet its strategic goals. == Aftermath ==
Aftermath
The bombing campaign had difficulty destroying the Houthis' underground arsenal of missiles, drones and launchers. The cost of the bombing campaign has been estimated to cost billions. After the ceasefire with the US was declared the Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Israel. In July 2025, the Houthis resumed attacks on commercial shipping, sinking two Liberian-flagged vessels. In response, the EU launched Operation Aspides to provide limited protection to vessels using the Red Sea. == See also ==
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