U.S. airstrikes in Yemen under President Donald Trump killed at least two people overnight in a Houthi rebel stronghold, the group reported Sunday. However, a bombing video posted by Trump himself suggests the death toll may be significantly higher, possibly including senior rebel leadership.
The overnight strikes in Saada province reportedly killed two individuals and wounded nine more. Houthi-run al-Masirah TV aired footage showing the destruction of what they identified as a two-story solar power shop. No interior images were released.
The ongoing campaign, launched in response to Houthi attacks on shipping in Middle Eastern waters amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, has killed at least 69 people so far, according to Houthi-released figures. Still, the rebels have not acknowledged any losses among their top military commanders—an assertion challenged by a video Trump shared online.
Early Saturday, Trump posted black-and-white drone footage showing dozens of individuals gathered before a sudden explosion left a massive crater.
“These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack,” Trump said in a post. “Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again!”
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, has not released the footage nor confirmed details of the strike. The White House, however, has stated that over 200 airstrikes have been carried out against the Houthis since mid-March.
Houthi-run SABA news agency reported that the strike hit a social gathering during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Hodeida governorate, killing and wounding “dozens.” While they did not classify the victims as civilians, they claimed the gathering was unrelated to Houthi military operations.
Independent analysts, however, suggest otherwise. Mohammed al-Basha of the Basha Report cited online condolence messages indicating that a colonel in charge of police stations in Hodeida and his two brothers were killed in the strike highlighted by Trump.
“The targeting has clearly expanded—reaching into new governorates, communications hubs, leadership residences, and underground tunnel networks,” al-Basha told the Associated Press. “This marks a significant escalation.”
An AP review finds the current U.S. campaign under Trump more extensive than during the Biden administration. Rather than solely targeting missile launch sites, American strikes now focus on mid- to high-level Houthi personnel and infrastructure within cities.
The shift followed renewed threats from the Houthis to attack “Israeli” ships over Gaza-related tensions. Their broad definition of what qualifies as an Israeli-linked ship has alarmed global shipping routes.
Since November 2023, Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on commercial vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors. Several attempted assaults on U.S. warships were also recorded.
The rebel group, under mounting internal pressure, has used the conflict to raise its regional profile, despite a decade-long civil war and economic crisis. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has linked its escalating air campaign to pressure Iran over its expanding nuclear program.
