The White House released a photo of US President Donald Trump watching a military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. He had ordered the attack, which killed 31 people. On Saturday, he confirmed the strike and said it unleashed “hell” on the Iran-backed group.
Trump Watches the Strike on TV
Meanwhile, the Trump administration revealed that it had informed Russia before the attack. Officials described this as an “effort to bolster diplomatic communication,” The New York Post reported. Shortly after the strike, the White House shared a photo of Trump monitoring the operation.
In the image, he wore a red MAGA hat with his autograph, a black headset, and golfing clothes. The caption stated, “President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats.” Furthermore, it added, “For too long, American economic and national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency.”
In another photo, Trump watched a TV screen showing real-time footage of the bombings. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood beside him.
President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 15, 2025
For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency. pic.twitter.com/FLC0E8Xkly
Houthis Threaten Retaliation
As the situation escalated, the death toll climbed to 31. In response, Washington warned Iran to stop supporting the Houthis. At the same time, Houthi-controlled health officials confirmed the casualties to Al-Masirah TV. The group called the attack a “war crime” and promised retaliation. “Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” they stated.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, strongly condemned the US attack. He argued that Washington had “no authority” over Iran’s foreign policy. “The United States Government has no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy,” Araghchi wrote on X. Additionally, he urged the US to stop “killing Yemeni people.”
This was the first US strike on Yemen since Trump returned to office. However, similar attacks occurred under former President Joe Biden.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Houthis have continuously disrupted the Red Sea, showing their support for Hamas.
Russia Knew About the Strike
Soon after the attack, the US State Department confirmed that Rubio called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to the department, this move aimed “to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia.”
Meanwhile, Trump issued a Truth Social post condemning the Houthis. He accused them of piracy, violence, and terrorism against the US and its allies.
“YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY,” Trump warned. Finally, he declared that the US would use “overwhelming force” to ensure peace.