DUBAI: Suspected US airstrikes killed at least two people in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Saada province overnight, the rebels said on Sunday. A bombing video posted online by US President Donald Trump suggested the death toll from the ongoing campaign may be higher than the Houthis acknowledge.
The strike wounded four others and collapsed a two-storey building, described by the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite channel as a solar power shop. The Houthis say at least 69 people have been killed in recent US strikes, which are targeting the group over its attacks on Red Sea shipping amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthis have not confirmed any senior security or military deaths, but Trump’s video appeared to challenge that. On Saturday, he shared a 25-second black-and-white drone video showing a group of people gathered in a circle before a blast. “These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack,” Trump wrote. “Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!” US Central Command has not released the video or confirmed details. The White House has said over 200 strikes have been launched since March 15.
The Houthi-run SABA news agency said a strike during Eid al-Fitr in Hodeida killed and wounded “dozens,” claiming it targeted a social gathering, not military figures. However, the language suggested those killed had rebel links. Social media tributes indicated a Houthi colonel and his brothers died in that strike. Yemen expert Mohammed al-Basha said the US campaign has intensified, targeting command sites, tunnels, telecom infrastructure and senior leaders’ assets. The new strategy marks a shift from the Biden era’s limited strikes.
The Houthis’ shipping attacks have hit over 100 vessels since late 2023, killing four sailors. The US says its campaign aims to curb the Houthis and pressure Iran over its
nuclear ambitions.