US air strikes kill at least 2 people in Yemen, Houthi rebels say

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The alleged US air strikes killed at least two people overnight in a bastion of Yemen rebels Houthissaid the group said on Sunday, as a bombing video published by US President Donald Trump suggested that the victims of the campaign could be higher than the rebels recognize it.

Saada’s strikes killed two people and injured nine others, with images broadcast by the Al-Masirah satellite news channel of Houthis showing a shot to collapse which seemed to be a two-story building. The Houthis supported by Iran did not broadcast any sequence from the interior of the building, which they described as a solar energy store.

The intense campaign of air strikes in Yemen under Asset Targeting the rebels over their attacks against expedition to the waters of the Middle East from the War of Israel-Hamas killed at least 69 peopleAccording to figures from injured published by the Houthis.

However, the Houthis have not recognized any victim of their security and military leadership – something disputed after an online video published by Trump.

Trump bombing images suggest that the targeted rebel leaders

Early on Saturday, Trump published what seemed to be a black and white video of a drone from a group of several dozen people gathered in a circle. An explosion explodes during the 25 second video, with a massive crater left in its wake.

“These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack,” said Trump, without offering a location for the attack or any other detail on the strike. “Oops, there will be no attack on these Houthis!” They will never pour our ships again! ”

The central command of the American army, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, did not publish the video and did not offer any specific details on the strikes it has carried out since March 15. The White House said there had been more than 200 strikes targeting the Houthis.

The news agency Saba under the control of the rebels in Yemen, citing an anonymous source, described the bombing as targeting “a social visit from Eid to the Governor of Hodeida”. Muslims around the world have just celebrated Aid al-Fitr, the festival at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Saba had published images of other commanders meeting fighters during the holidays, but not senior high -level civil servants.

“The people present at this rally had no connection with the operations carried out by the (Houthis), which implement the decision to prohibit navigation on ships linked to the American and Israeli enemy,” said the Saba report, adding that the attack killed and injured “dozens”.

However, the Houthis previously recognized any strike on Hodeida during this period with a count of the victims as high. Saba’s report did not describe people killed as civilians either, suggesting that those who were killed had links with the security of rebels or military forces.

Mohammed Al-Basha, an expert in Yemen of Basha Report Risk Advisory, cited opinions of condolences on social networks suggesting that a colonel supervising the police stations for the Houthis in Hodeida had been killed in the strike that Trump highlighted alongside his two brothers.

“Strikes have widened considerably, hitting several leaders simultaneously, alongside telecommunications infrastructure, command nodes, properties related to senior Houthi management and previously intact tunnel networks in mountainous areas,” Al-Basha told the Associated Press.

“We have also seen the direct targeting of Houthis force rallies, indicating a more aggressive and scalable change in the targeting strategy,” said Al-Basha.

Intense American attacks started almost a month ago

An AP review found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump more extensive Let those under the former American president Joe Biden, while Washington goes from the only one to target the launch sites to shooting on the classification staff and the abolition of bombs on the cities.

The new air strike campaign started after the rebels threatened to start targeting “Israeli” ships Once again on Israel Blocking helps entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, which means that many ships could be targeted.

The Houthis have targeted more than 100 merchant ships with missiles and drones, pour two of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 to January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.

The attacks considerably enhanced the profile of the Houthis, which faced economic problems and launched a repression targeting dissent and the workers of the Haps in Yemen in the midst of a decennial war that has torn the poorest nation in the Arab world.

The campaign shows no signs of stopping, because the Trump administration has repeatedly linked its air strikes to the Houthis to an effort to put pressure on Iran on its Quickly advanced nuclear program.