Sporting a red MAGA cap with his signature on the peak and a branded polo shirt, Donald Trump monitored live footage of ‘powerful and decisive’ air strikes on Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
The White House yesterday released pictures of the President from an undisclosed location as the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since he took office was launched on Saturday night.
Writing on his Truth Social website, Mr Trump threatened to ‘rain hell’ on the group unless it ceased attacking ships in the Red Sea.
He also ordered Iran to stop funding the Houthis because America would hold it ‘fully accountable’, adding: ‘And we won’t be nice about it!’
‘Funded by Iran, Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft and
targeted our troops and allies,’ he wrote. ‘These relentless assaults have cost the US and world economy many billions of dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk.
‘The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.’ He added that the US air strikes were aimed at the Houthi leaders, bases and military installations.
The Houthi-run health ministry said the death toll has risen to at least 53 including five children, and around 100 people were injured.
The group said it will continue targeting Red Sea ships until Israel lifts its blockade of Gaza, and accused the US and UK of ‘wicked’ aggression, targeting residential areas.
The UK did not participate in air strikes but did provide routine refuelling support for the US.
Houthis have targeted dozens of merchant vessels with missiles, drones and small boat attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023. They have sunk two boats, seized a third, and killed four crew members.
President Trump wrote: ‘The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important waterways of the world, grinding vast swaths of global commerce to a halt.
‘To all Houthi terrorists, your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don’t, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before!’
Iran yesterday distanced itself from the Houthi attacks, saying it ‘plays no role in setting the national or operational policies’ of its militant allies. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the US had ‘no authority or business dictating Iranian foreign policy’.
Houthi terrorists yesterday claimed, without evidence, they attacked the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea with missiles and drones. US officials dismissed these claims.