Houthis claim latest attacks on US warships and promise response to Israeli massacre in Gaza
Sana'a, Yemen - Yemen's Houthis said on Tuesday they carried out their third attack on American warships in 48 hours, following US strikes that killed dozens of people and sparked mass protests in areas under their control.
The rebels also condemned Israel's renewed mass killing in Gaza, where more than 400 people were killed in a horrific massacre overnight Tuesday.
The Houthis had targeted ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestine. As promised, they ceased attacks when a ceasefire went into force, but after Israel reneged on the deal and blocked the entry of all aid into the territory, they threatened to renew their operations.
In response, the US launched a brutal wave of strikes on Yemen, the first since President Donald Trump took office in January. At least 53 people were killed, many of them civilians.
In their latest retaliation, the Houthis said on Telegram Tuesday that they fired missiles and drones at the USS Harry S. Truman, calling it the "third in the past 48 hours" on the fleet in the northern Red Sea.
A Pentagon official said the Houthis "continue to communicate lies and disinformation", adding the Iran-backed group is "well known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs".
US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich earlier told reporters it was "hard to confirm" the attacks claimed by the Houthis, as the rebels were missing their targets "by over 100 miles."
US killings cause mass protests in Yemen
Houthi media said fresh US strikes hit the Hodeida and Al-Salif regions Monday and Sanaa early Tuesday, hours after tens of thousands demonstrated, chanting "Death to America, death to Israel!" in the capital.
There were also large crowds in Saada, the birthplace of the Houthi movement, and demonstrations in Dhamar, Hodeida, and Amran on Monday.
Washington has vowed to keep hitting Yemen until the Huthis stop firing on shipping, with Trump warning he will hold Iran accountable for their attacks.
"Every shot fired by the Huthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN," Trump posted on social media.
Tehran called his statement "belligerent".
In a televised interview with Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Houthis do "not exist" without Iran.
"Without Iran, there is no Houthi threat of this magnitude," he said. "They created this Frankenstein monster, and now they got to own it."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US strikes and said Washington had "no authority" to dictate Tehran's foreign policy.
Cover photo: via REUTERS