The US military has carried out a series of new airstrikes on Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah movement in the province of Al-Hodeidah, located in the west of the country. According to the Houthi TV channel Al Masirah, the US aircraft carried out at least 15 strikes on objects controlled by the rebels. The main target of the attacks was Kamaran Island in the Red Sea, not far from the coast of Al-Hodeidah, where, according to experts, a radar station and several boats used by the Houthis for operations in the region were located. Information about casualties and destruction has not yet been specified, which is typical for such reports at the initial stage.
The strikes were part of an ongoing U.S. military campaign against the Houthis, aimed at weakening their military capabilities and preventing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up attacks on commercial shipping since late 2023, claiming to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The attacks in Hodeida targeted facilities used to coordinate and conduct maritime operations, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The US campaign against the Houthis has sharply intensified since March 2025, after the administration of President Donald Trump announced the launch of Operation Rough Rider. According to Reuters, since mid-March, US forces have struck more than 30 targets in Yemen, including weapons depots, training bases and command posts. According to Al Jazeera, the attacks have killed at least 58 people, including civilians, and wounded dozens since the beginning of the campaign. The Houthis, in turn, declare their intention to respond to the “aggression”, threatening new attacks on US warships and Israeli targets. In particular, they claim to have already attacked the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, although the Pentagon denies these claims, reporting the interception of 11 Houthi drones.
According to The New York Times, the current US campaign is seeing limited success: despite intense air strikes, the Houthis have kept much of their arsenal, moving weapons into underground bunkers. This has forced the Pentagon to spend significant resources — $200 million worth of ammunition has been used in three weeks of Operation Rough Rider. Analysts note that the Houthis, with experience from a decade of war, have adapted to airstrikes by strengthening their fortifications and avoiding massing forces in open areas.