The Yemeni Ministry of Health, under the Ansar Allah (Houthi) government, reported an increase in deaths from U.S. airstrikes targeting Houthi positions, with 53 fatalities and 98 injuries.
Ministry spokesperson Anis Al-Asbahi said on X that the victims included five children (four girls and one boy) and two women among the dead, while nine children (six boys and three girls) and several women were among the injured.
Al-Asbahi strongly condemned the 47 air raids carried out by U.S. forces across multiple provinces—Sana’a, Saada, Dhamar, Hajjah, Al-Bayda, Marib, and Al-Jawf—calling them a deliberate escalation, a flagrant breach of international laws, and an infringement on Yemen’s sovereignty.
On Saturday, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered the U.S. military to launch “firm and strong” operations against the Houthis, who control northern Yemen.
Trump also called on Iran to stop supporting the Houthis, cautioning against any threats to “the American people and their president.” The U.S. Central Command confirmed that it had begun a large-scale military operation in Yemen to protect American interests.
In response, the Supreme Political Council, controlled by the Houthis, declared on Sunday that their retaliation would be “professional and painful”, hinting at significant countermeasures if the U.S. strikes continued.
The U.S. operation comes after the Houthis announced their intention to resume attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea starting Tuesday. They had previously halted their operations following the January 19 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
