— To Huti: This is not a one-time thing. This will proceed until you say you have finished shooting at the ships," Hegseth said during an interview on Fox Business. “We do not want a long, limited war in the mediate East. We don't care what happens in the Yemen civilian War. The aim is to halt shooting assets on this key waterway to reconstruct freedom of navigation, which is the primary national interest of the United States," he added.
The head of the Pentagon is keen on Yemen. "This is simply a signal for Iran"
The U.S. Secretary of defence thus referred to a series of air strikes launched on Saturday against targets related to the Shiite Huti movement in Yemen. Hegseth besides stated that the run started as a signal to Iran to retreat support for Yemeni rebels.
Other key government officials, national safety advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke in akin speech in Sunday interviews. Waltz said on ABC that in the case of Huti and their attacks against ships in the Red Sea area, the Trump administration ends with Joe Biden's approach consisting of precise one-off responses to their attacks.
— It was an overwhelming consequence that targeted a number of Huti leaders and eliminated them," he said.
Rubio, asked during the CBS interview whether the US could send land troops to Yemen, replied that he did not think it was necessary.
— I can say that the people active in this rocket launch are no longer with us, and I can tell you that any of the objects they usage no longer exist, and that will continue,” Rubio said. “These guys are able to control the ships that can flow. They attacked the U.S. Navy, they attacked the U.S. Navy 174 times. There will be no more people sitting with missiles attacking the U.S. Navy. This will not happen again," he added.
He besides stated that Yemeni rebels would not be able to carry out attacks without the intelligence and military support of Iran.
— So it was a message to Iran: don't support them any further, due to the fact that then you will besides be liable for what they are doing," Rubio said.
The US is attacking Huti military targets
According to Huti representatives, at least 31 people were killed and more than 100 injured as a consequence of US raids.
The Reuters Agency reported that the mark of the raids was, among others, Huti military facilities in the city of Taizé in south-western Yemen. U.S. Air Force besides attacked Yemeni rebel facilities in Saada, Damar and El-Beida provinces. According to reports from local media in Sana, the office of the Huti ultimate Political Council, weapons warehouses and command centers were shot down.
Since autumn 2023, the Huti have carried out over 100 attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming that they are an expression of solidarity with Hamas in his fight against Israel. Huti is 1 of the parties to the 2014 Yemen civilian War and controls a large part of this country, including the Red Sea coast.
