Residents and a military expert in Yemen condemned the U.S. overnight airstrikes on Houthi sites, which killed at least 31 people and wounded 101 others.
The death toll is expected to rise further as U.S. airstrikes continue across Yemen.
The casualties were reported across multiple locations, including the capital. Sanaa, the northern province of Saada -- a Houthi stronghold -- as well as other Houthi-controlled Yemeni provinces.
According to residents, the strikes in Sanaa targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. A white smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood and multiple explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses said.
As the smoke cleared, residents began clearing the rubble and recovering what was left of their belongings.
"People were safe in their homes at dawn when the airstrikes hit civilians. There are injured people in hospitals, and even those who were already sick panicked because of the bombing. We have done nothing wrong. We are in civilian areas, not military sites. The attack caused injuries and deaths, and children were terrified," said Ibrahim Al-Majhri, a local resident.
"The American airstrikes hit while we were safe in our homes. But no matter what they strike us with, they will not scare the Yemenis. We will respond to them in their own land," said Abdulhalim Al-Matari, an eyewitness.
Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, stating that "this aggression will not pass without a response" and that the group is "fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation," the Houthis' political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.
"The U.S. airstrikes on Yemen are seen by the Americans as a preemptive move to control Yemen's position and stop its support for Gaza by blocking Israeli shipping. But this escalation will increase tensions in the region. The Yemeni armed forces will respond. Any source of attacks against Yemen will be targeted at the right time," said Rashad Al-Wutairi, a military expert.
This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office in January and redesignated the group as a "foreign terrorist organization."
Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the aerial attacks on the "terrorists' bases, leaders, and missile defenses were intended to protect American shipping, air and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom."
He also warned the Houthis that if they did not stop their attacks "starting today ... hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."
In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off from a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, stating that it "initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation."
On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the Gaza Strip's crossings are reopened and aid is allowed in.
From November 2023 to January 19, 2024, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on January 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.
Yemenis condemn U.S. overnight airstrikes
