Yemen burns: US delivers devastating blow to Houthis

The United States launched a surprise attack last night against targets of the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen. Media outlets in the country report dozens of deaths and over one hundred wounded. Among the destroyed targets: a Houthi base in the Al-Jaraf neighborhood in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. Additionally, the Saudi Al-Hadath channel reported that the political bureau headquarters of the Houthis in Sanaa was attacked, along with weapons warehouses and missile launchers.

As mentioned, the United States launched a surprise attack on the Houthis in Yemen last night. President Trump ordered the strikes in Yemen. According to a report in the New York Times, the strikes will continue for several days to damage the Houthis' arsenal – drones, air defense systems, and missiles. The strikes also send a message to Iran. The purpose of the strikes is to open shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

Trump released a statement explaining the rationale of the attack:

"Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones.

"Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a U.S. flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk.

"The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends.

"Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE! To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!"