The Yemeni rebel Houthi group on early Wednesday (April 2) said it had targeted the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier and its escorting warships in the northern Red Sea.
In a televised speech, the group's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the attack was in response to "the US aggression" on Yemen, noting that it was the third attack in the last 24 hours, using missiles and drones.
"The operations of the armed forces will continue at an escalating pace against the American enemy by targeting its warships in the declared area of operations," Saree said.
He also added that the group's military operations against Israel, including banning Israeli ships from navigation in the Red Sea "will not stop until the (Israeli) aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lift."
The US army or Pentagon is yet to comment on the Houthi statement.
On Tuesday, the Houthi group said at least three people were killed in fresh US airstrikes that targeted Al-Hudaydah province, in western Yemen.
“An American assault involving airstrikes targeted a water project and a building of the water authority in Al-Mansuriyah district of Al-Hudaydah province,” the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported.
US airstrikes across Yemen have claimed the lives of 62 civilians and wounded 149 others, including women and children, according to data from the Houthi-run Health Ministry.
US President Donald Trump said on March 15 that he had ordered "decisive and powerful military action" against the Houthis and later threatened to "completely annihilate them."
The Houthis have targeted ships passing through the Red and Arabian seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more nearly 50,400 people.
The group halted attacks when a Gaza ceasefire was declared in January between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas but said it was resuming them in response to Israel blocking all aid into Gaza since March 2.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
