Ansar Allah claim American aircraft carrier attacks
The group said it had hit back by firing 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier group on Sunday, before launching a second strike hours later. A group's spokesperson said the attacks were "in retaliation to the continued American aggression against our country"
Published: 06:03 PM,Mar 17,2025 | EDITED : 10:03 PM,Mar 17,2025
People inspect the rubble of a house hit by a US strike in Yemen's northern Saada province. — AFP
SANAA: Yemen's Ansar Allah said they attacked an American aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours as they prepared for huge rallies on Monday after US strikes left dozens dead. The response from the Ansar Allah follows attacks on Saturday ordered by President Donald Trump that hammered the capital, Sanaa, and several other areas, killing 53 people, according to the group. The United States struck the Ansar Allah over their repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping sparked by the Gaza war, which have put a major strain on the vital trade route. The group said it had hit back by firing 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier group on Sunday, before launching a second strike hours later. There was no immediate comment from the United States about the claimed attacks. In a statement posted to Telegram, a group's spokesperson said the attacks were 'in retaliation to the continued American aggression against our country'.
Washington has vowed to keep striking Yemen until the Ansar Allah stop attacking Red Sea shipping, with Trump warning he would use 'overwhelming lethal force'.
Sanaa's Al Sabeen Square, the scene of regular major protests during the Israel-Hamas war, looked set to be packed once again for Monday's rally. Late on Saturday, the Ansar Allah-controlled capital was hit by heavy strikes. The Yemeni health ministry said women and children were among the 53 people killed and 98 wounded. 'The house shook, the windows shattered, and my family and I were terrified,' father of two Ahmed, who declined to give his full name, said. The strikes were the first since Trump came to office in January, and came despite a pause in the attacks during a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
On Sunday, US officials vowed further strikes until the rebels ended their campaign against Red Sea shipping. Yemenis media reported more explosions late on Sunday night, accusing the Americans of targeting a cotton facility in the Hodeida region and the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship hijacked in November 2023. In response to the latest escalation along the maritime trade route, the United Nations urged both sides to 'cease all military activity', while China reiterated calls for diplomacy. 'The reasons behind the situation in the Red Sea and the Yemen issue are complex and should be properly resolved through dialogue and negotiation,' said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
The Ansar Allah have attacked Israel and shipping vessels throughout the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Before this weekend's targeting of the US carrier group, the Ansar Allah had not claimed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when the ceasefire in Gaza began. However, they had recently threatened to resume its attacks over Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory. It said it would 'move to additional escalatory options' if the 'American aggression' continued.
Trump, meanwhile, has warned the Yemeni group that 'hell will rain down upon you' if it did not stop its attacks. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US strikes and said Washington had 'no authority' to dictate Tehran's foreign policy.
A database set up by ACLED, a non-profit monitor, shows 136 attacks against warships, commercial vessels, and Israeli and other targets since October 19, 2023. While the Red Sea trade route normally carries about 12 per cent of world shipping traffic, Ansar Allah attacks have forced many companies into costly detours around southern Africa. — AFP
Washington has vowed to keep striking Yemen until the Ansar Allah stop attacking Red Sea shipping, with Trump warning he would use 'overwhelming lethal force'.
Sanaa's Al Sabeen Square, the scene of regular major protests during the Israel-Hamas war, looked set to be packed once again for Monday's rally. Late on Saturday, the Ansar Allah-controlled capital was hit by heavy strikes. The Yemeni health ministry said women and children were among the 53 people killed and 98 wounded. 'The house shook, the windows shattered, and my family and I were terrified,' father of two Ahmed, who declined to give his full name, said. The strikes were the first since Trump came to office in January, and came despite a pause in the attacks during a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
On Sunday, US officials vowed further strikes until the rebels ended their campaign against Red Sea shipping. Yemenis media reported more explosions late on Sunday night, accusing the Americans of targeting a cotton facility in the Hodeida region and the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship hijacked in November 2023. In response to the latest escalation along the maritime trade route, the United Nations urged both sides to 'cease all military activity', while China reiterated calls for diplomacy. 'The reasons behind the situation in the Red Sea and the Yemen issue are complex and should be properly resolved through dialogue and negotiation,' said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
The Ansar Allah have attacked Israel and shipping vessels throughout the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Before this weekend's targeting of the US carrier group, the Ansar Allah had not claimed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since January 19, when the ceasefire in Gaza began. However, they had recently threatened to resume its attacks over Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory. It said it would 'move to additional escalatory options' if the 'American aggression' continued.
Trump, meanwhile, has warned the Yemeni group that 'hell will rain down upon you' if it did not stop its attacks. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US strikes and said Washington had 'no authority' to dictate Tehran's foreign policy.
A database set up by ACLED, a non-profit monitor, shows 136 attacks against warships, commercial vessels, and Israeli and other targets since October 19, 2023. While the Red Sea trade route normally carries about 12 per cent of world shipping traffic, Ansar Allah attacks have forced many companies into costly detours around southern Africa. — AFP