A series of suspected US airstrikes battered Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and surrounding areas overnight into Monday, March 31, 2025, killing at least three people and wounding 12 others, according to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The strikes, which extended to the Hajjah governorate, followed a particularly intense barrage early Friday, marking a sharp escalation in a campaign that began on March 15. While the full scope of the damage remains unclear, Houthi-run Al-Masirah satellite news aired footage of shattered glass strewn across homes in Sanaa, hinting at the force of the explosions. However, the rebels withheld visuals of the targeted sites, suggesting they may have been military or intelligence installations. The overnight assault included a notable strike on a pickup truck in Hajjah, which killed two people and injured a child—the first publicly acknowledged instance of a vehicle being hit in this wave of attacks. The Houthis claim the campaign has now claimed at least 61 lives, underscoring the growing toll of the US operation under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The renewed US offensive appears to be a response to the Houthis’ threats to resume attacks on “Israeli” ships, a retaliation sparked by Israel’s blockade of aid into the Gaza Strip. Historically, the rebels have applied a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli vessel, raising fears that a broader range of merchant ships could come under fire. This follows a period of heightened Houthi aggression from November 2023 to January 2025, during which they launched over 100 missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. Despite also targeting American warships—none of which have been hit—the Houthis have bolstered their regional profile amid Yemen’s decade-long civil war, which has left the Arab world’s poorest nation in tatters. An Associated Press analysis highlights a shift in US strategy under Trump, moving beyond merely striking launch sites, as seen under former President Joe Biden, to targeting ranking Houthi personnel and dropping bombs in urban areas. This broader scope has intensified the conflict, amplifying both the destruction and the rebels’ defiance as they grapple with economic woes and internal dissent.
The airstrikes come against a backdrop of Yemen’s protracted turmoil, where the Houthis have controlled Sanaa since 2014 and face mounting domestic challenges, including a crackdown on aid workers and critics. The latest US campaign has drawn attention to the rebels’ resilience, even as it exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in a country already scarred by war. The strike in Hajjah, for instance, not only claimed lives but left a child wounded, a grim reminder of the civilian cost. Meanwhile, the absence of detailed Houthi disclosures about the targets suggests a strategic reticence, possibly to shield military assets or maintain morale. As the US operation expands, it risks further destabilizing Yemen, fueling the Houthis’ narrative of resistance against foreign aggression while drawing international scrutiny to Trump’s more aggressive approach. With the rebels vowing retaliation over Gaza and the US showing no signs of relenting, the cycle of violence in Yemen appears poised to deepen, leaving the region on edge.
