Donald Trump issues chilling 'annihilation' threat to Houthi rebels as airstrikes pound Yemen
The Houthi rebels have long been armed by Tehran - though Iran has repeatedly denied arming them despite physical evidence and experts tying the weapons to the country
US President Donald Trump threatened Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday that they'll be "completely annihilated" as American airstrikes pounded locations under their control, while further pressuring the group's main benefactor Iran. Strikes hit Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, as well as their stronghold of Saada in the country's northwest on Wednesday night, the Houthi's al-Maisrah satellite news channel reported. It aired footage showing firefighters battling a blaze in Sanaa and damaged at what it described as a sheep farm in al-Jawf.
It also said strikes happened overnight Tuesday, though the US military has not offered a breakdown of places targeted since the airstrikes campaign began. The first strikes this weekend killed at least 53 people, including children, and wounded others.
As the strikes hit, Trump wrote on his Truth Social website that "tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians." "Watch how it will get progressively worse - It's not even a fair fight, and never will be," Trump added. "They will be completely annihilated!"
Meanwhile, Trump again warned Iran not to arm the Houthis, claiming without offering evidence that Tehran "has lessened its intensity on Military Equipment and General Support to the Houthis." "Iran must stop the sending of these Supplies IMMEDIATELY," he wrote.
Iran has long armed the Houthis, who are members of Islam's minority Shiite Zaydi sect that ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons to Iran. That's likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency acknowledged Trump's comments and cited remarks previously made by Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, that said Trump made "baseless accusations."
The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year when a ceasefire began in Gaza. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis' profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent and aid workers.
Meanwhile Thursday, the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency acknowledged the rebels had been taking food aid out of a World Food Program warehouse without permission. It said it took about 20% of the aid on hand out. The U.N. in February suspended its operations in Saada over security concerns following the detentions of dozens of UN workers and others. One WFP staffer died while imprisoned by the Houthis.