The United States has ramped up its military operations in Yemen, launching 22 airstrikes across the north of the country on Tuesday, in what marks a significant escalation in its ongoing campaign against Houthi forces.
According to reports from Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and local sources, the latest strikes targeted eastern and southern districts of the capital, Sanaa, the Kamaran Island in the Red Sea, and the oil-rich province of Marib.
Eyewitnesses described the assault as “very powerful and violent”, though no casualties were immediately reported from Tuesday’s bombardment.
This recent escalation follows Sunday night’s airstrikes, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of four children and injuries to 25 others in Sanaa.
The United States’ aerial campaign, which commenced on March 15, is said to be aimed at curbing Houthi assaults on international shipping routes in the Red Sea—particularly those that the group claims are linked to Israel.
Despite the intensity of the strikes, military analysts within Yemen suggest they have not dissuaded the Houthis, who continue to target American and Israeli assets in the region.
Houthi sources report that 17 American-made MQ-9 Reaper drones have been shot down in Yemen between October 2023 and April 3, 2025.
On Monday, the group claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a military site in Tel Aviv, Israel, as well as launching cruise missiles and drones at two U.S. warships in the Red Sea.
“The U.S. campaign against the Houthis has, to date, not achieved its stated objectives. The group still possesses the ability to threaten international navigation, its leadership remains intact, and Washington is incurring substantial costs without achieving significant progress,’’ said Ali Bin Hadi, a retired military official and expert based in Aden.
However, political analyst Muqbil Naji, also based in Aden, indicated that the airstrikes might be “a prelude to ground operations,’’ potentially involving direct American intervention or increased support to forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Naji noted a “looming opportunity” for the Yemeni government to reclaim control of at least Hodeidah and the West Coast from the Houthis, with support from regional allies and the United States.
Reinforcing this view, Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, urged for unity and robust backing in the fight against Houthi forces. He asserted that the decisive moment was nearing to end what he termed the suffering caused by the war led by Houthi militias.
The Yemeni president reiterated his administration’s resolve to “restore usurped state institutions.’’
The Houthis, who have controlled much of northern Yemen—including the capital Sanaa—since 2014, continue to fight against the internationally recognised government.
They insist that their attacks on maritime routes in the Red Sea are intended to pressure an end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
Both analysts cautioned that the continued hostilities between Washington and the Houthi movement could evolve into a long-term conflict in the strategically crucial Red Sea corridor, potentially destabilising both regional and international security landscapes.
