The United States launched its largest military operation in the Middle East under President Trump's second term, conducting extensive airstrikes against Houthi targets across Yemen that killed at least 31 people, including civilians [1][4].

The strikes, which began Saturday evening, targeted multiple locations including Yemen's capital Sanaa and the northern province of Saada. The Pentagon confirmed the operation was carried out partly by fighter aircraft from the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group in the Red Sea [6].

According to official statistics, the Houthis have conducted 174 attacks on US warships and 145 attacks on commercial vessels since 2023, significantly disrupting global maritime commerce [4]. The Iran-backed group claims these actions were in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict.

'To all Houthi terrorists, your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today,' Trump declared on Truth Social, warning of unprecedented consequences if attacks continue [7].

The Houthi health ministry reported that among the 31 casualties were women and children, with over 100 people injured. The group's political bureau condemned the strikes as a 'war crime' and vowed to respond with 'escalation for escalation' [5].

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that operations would continue until the Houthis cease attacking ships, emphasizing that 'Freedom of Navigation will be restored' [6].

The campaign represents a significant shift from the more limited strikes conducted under the previous Biden administration. US officials speaking anonymously indicated the operation could continue for weeks [4].

In a related diplomatic move, Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to inform Moscow about the strikes, signaling potential efforts to manage international reactions to the campaign [8].