Trump Escalates Houthi Strikes, Warns Iran as Red Sea Crisis Continues

President Trump announced today that U.S.-led strikes have “decimated” Houthi capabilities in Yemen, while issuing stark warnings to both the militant group and Iran amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea region.

The military campaign, which began March 15, has targeted over 30 strategic locations including terrorist training sites, UAV infrastructure, weapons facilities, and command-and-control centers. U.S. officials report dozens of Houthi military casualties.

Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth has committed to an “unrelenting” military response until the Houthis cease attacks on vessels in the vital shipping corridor. The militant group has conducted over 170 attacks on U.S. warships and 145 strikes on commercial vessels since 2003, according to U.S. government officials.

The situation intensified following the collapse of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire earlier this month, with the Houthis reimposing restrictions on Israeli shipping and expanding threats to include U.S. warships and commercial vessels.

“The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at U.S ships, and we will stop shooting at you,” Trump stated in today’s social media post, adding, “Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran.”

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized that the operation’s end-state is straightforward: “That begins the moment that the Houthis pledge to stop attacking our ships and putting American lives at risk.”

Trump has also warned that Houthi attacks will be treated as Iranian actions, prompting Tehran to threaten “severe consequences”. Maritime security experts now warn of increased risks to merchant vessels from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf.

Recent Houthi claims of targeting the USS Harry S. Truman have been dismissed U.S. officials, including Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich who noted their attacks missed by over 100 miles, demonstrating what he called “the level of incompetence they’ve demonstrated.”

As operations continue, U.S. Central Command forces maintain their precision strike campaign, targeting additional headquarters locations and weapons storage facilities, with military officials vowing to continue until freedom of navigation is restored in the region.

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