The death toll from devastating US airstrikes in war-torn Yemen has risen to 53. The strikes, targeting Houthi rebel positions, have also resulted in the deaths of children.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have announced plans to attack US ships in the Red Sea. The US, on the other hand, has vowed to continue its strikes in Yemen. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the US will continue its attacks until the Houthis stop attacking ships.
This information was reported in separate reports by Anadolu Agency and the BBC on Monday, March 17th.
According to the BBC report, the death toll from the US strikes in Yemen on Saturday, March 15th, has increased to 53, including five children, as reported by the Houthi rebel health ministry.
US President Donald Trump cited Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea as the reason for the strikes.
In response, Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul-Salam, in a statement, alleged that the US is exaggerating the threat to shipping in the Red Sea to influence public opinion.
Essentially, Israel has imposed a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip, preventing the delivery of food, water, or medicine. In this context, the Houthi rebels threatened to resume attacks on Israeli-related ships in the Red Sea. Following this threat, the US began airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen on Saturday.
Washington claims that some key Houthi leaders were among those killed in Saturday's airstrikes, but the group has not confirmed this information.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has stated that their fighters will attack US ships in the Red Sea as long as the US continues to attack Yemen.
The BBC reports that Houthi health ministry spokesperson Anis al-Asbahi, in a post on X, updated the previous death toll on Sunday, stating that 53 people, including five children and two women, were killed in the US strikes, and 98 others were injured.
The Houthis claim that the US launched new attacks on the port city of Hodeidah on Sunday night. However, the US has not yet commented on this. US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told ABC News that many Houthi leaders were killed in Saturday's strikes.
He told Fox News, "We have applied tremendous force on them and told Iran that enough is enough."
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, announcing the continuation of missile strikes on the Houthis, told Fox News, "I want to be very clear, this operation is to restore freedom and order of navigation."
The Houthis have also stated that they will continue to attack ships in the Red Sea until Israel lifts the blockade on Gaza and will retaliate against the attacks on them in Yemen.