Yemen’s Houthi rebels have reported a significant escalation in hostilities following a US airstrike in Sanaa province that purportedly killed five individuals and injured over a dozen others. According to a statement issued by the Iran-aligned group, the death toll from the attack on the Al-Sawari factory in the Matna area of Bani Matar has increased to 18, which includes five confirmed fatalities along with 13 wounded.
Houthi media channels mentioned that multiple US strikes targeted various locations across Yemen on the same day, with reported attacks occurring in the Saada and Hodeida provinces. Eyewitness accounts and dramatic imagery circulated by the Houthi Ansarullah Media Center depicted significant damage and a massive column of fire erupting in Hodeida, underscoring the intensity of the US-led military operations in the area.
Since the commencement of an air campaign by the United States on March 15, aimed primarily at curbing Houthi threats to commercial vessels navigating critical maritime routes, the rebels have experienced continuous airstrikes, leading to numerous casualties in the rebel-held regions of Yemen. This ongoing conflict has turned urban areas into battlegrounds, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in one of the poorest countries in the Arab world.
The Houthis have retaliated by launching assaults against US military vessels and Israeli interests, framing these actions as solidarity with Palestinians affected by the recent escalation of violence in Gaza. This campaign was notably intensified following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, after which the Houthis began targeting ships traversing the strategically significant Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Although they briefly paused these attacks during a temporary ceasefire in January, hostilities resumed unabated after renewed Israeli military actions in Gaza began in March 2024.
The increased military activity has disrupted normal shipping operations in the Red Sea, which typically accounts for approximately 12 percent of global maritime traffic. The ongoing conflict has forced various shipping companies to devise longer routes around the southern tip of Africa, significantly raising operational costs and impacting international trade.
The recent developments signal a worrying trend in a region already suffering from prolonged instability and conflict, raising further concerns about the humanitarian ramifications for millions of civilians trapped in the crossfire.
