A senior Houthi leader stated U.S. strikes against Yemen on Saturday were “unjustified”
Yemen’s Houthi militia has vowed retaliation against the U.S. after an airstrike on behalf of Israel killed 31 and injured more than 100 people on Saturday, most of whom were women and children.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi leader, called the U.S.’ attack “unjustified,” adding that it “will result in a response.”
“The Zionist entity has not adhered to the ceasefire agreement, so our naval operations target it alone with the aim of lifting the siege on Gaza,” al-Bukhaiti wrote in an X post shared Saturday.
“This is a moral and humanitarian position. America’s involvement in the aggression against Yemen is unjustified and will result in a response. We will meet escalation with escalation, and the one who starts it is the most unjust,” he added.
الكيان الصهيوني لم يلتزم بآتفاق وقف اطلاق النار لذلك فإن عملياتنا البحرية تستهدفه دون غيره بهدف رفع الحصار عن غزة, وهذا موقف اخلاقي وإنساني, وتورط امريكا في العدوان على اليمن غير مبرر وسيترتب عليه رد وسنقابل التصعيد بالتصعيد والبادئ اظلم.
— محمد البخيتي(Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti) (@M_N_Albukhaiti) March 15, 2025
The U.S. airstrikes, which marked the Trump administration’s second largest military campaign, were in response to Yemen’s Iran-backed militia resuming “the ban on the passage of all Israeli ships” in defense of Gaza, the New York Times reported.
On March 7, the Houthi rebels warned Israel had four days to resume aid, including food, water and shelter, to Gaza, which Israeli forces had been blocking since March 2 in hopes of pressuring Hamas to release the rest of the hostages, circumventing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration.
The March 12 deadline came and went with no movement from Israel, prompting the Houthis to resume their attacks on Israeli ships.
On Saturday, the White House shared an X post celebrating the airstrikes.
“President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats,” the post stated.
“For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency,” it continued. The Houthis, however, have never directly targeted the U.S.
President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats.
For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency. pic.twitter.com/FLC0E8Xkly
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 15, 2025
U.S. Central Command also shared photos and videos on X of its air strikes leveling buildings in Yemen.
CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue… pic.twitter.com/DYvc3gREN8
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
Many social media users expressed outrage at the strikes, especially in light of Trump campaigning on a terrorism- and war-free presidency.
“Houthis are defending Palestinians from genocidal terrorists. They’re morally righteous, and you’re a compromised Israel-firster soiling the US’s moral reputation,” @SithDubh stated in an X post.
