In a move that quickly stirred international attention, US President Donald Trump on Friday shared a black-and-white video on his Truth Social account, claiming it showed dozens of Houthi fighters being killed in a precision American airstrike in Yemen.
“These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack,” Trump wrote alongside the video. “Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!” he added. “They will never sink our ships again!”
The footage, resembling imagery from a military drone, shows a group of human figures standing in an oval formation on a remote road. A targeting crosshair is fixed over the gathering. Seconds later, a sharp flash fills the frame, followed by smoke. The camera then zooms out to reveal a growing column of smoke and several nearby vehicles. The final shot shows a large crater at the point of impact. No bodies are clearly visible.
Rising death toll amid escalating air raids
Trump’s video comes in the wake of a sharp escalation in US-led airstrikes across Yemen. According to media outlets aligned with the Houthis, at least 67 people have been killed in the past week alone. Strikes have hit locations in Hodeida, Saada, Sanaa and Hajjah. Four civilians reportedly died at a water project site in Hodeida’s Mansuriyah district.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have launched repeated attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. They say these strikes are a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. While the US has condemned the attacks on international shipping, the Houthis maintain that their campaign is part of a broader act of resistance.
US deploys additional forces to the Middle East
As the death toll rises and tensions deepen, Washington is reinforcing its military posture in the region. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced the deployment of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, to join the USS Harry S. Truman already stationed in the Middle East.
The objective, according to US officials, is “to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region.”
Further reinforcements include additional squadrons of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the Idaho Air National Guard. More than 300 airmen from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing have now been deployed to support the operations.
Senior Houthi leaders believed targeted
Although the US military has not confirmed any high-level deaths, reports based on leaked Signal messages and hints from Trump administration officials suggest that members of the Houthi missile command may have been among the targets.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday, “Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders.”
“They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored,” she added.
She also confirmed that more than 200 strikes had been carried out on a single day—Tuesday—signalling the scale and pace of the US campaign.
A shifting conflict with global stakes
The latest phase of American involvement in Yemen marks a significant shift in regional dynamics. The Red Sea, a key corridor for global shipping, has become a flashpoint for military confrontation. With two US aircraft carriers now patrolling nearby waters and hundreds of airmen deployed, the message from Washington is clear: disruption to global trade routes will not go unanswered.
For Yemen, already devastated by years of war, the human cost continues to mount. And with President Trump posting drone footage to his followers with a caption that reads “Oops,” questions remain over the balance between military action and accountability.
“These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack,” Trump wrote alongside the video. “Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!” he added. “They will never sink our ships again!”
The footage, resembling imagery from a military drone, shows a group of human figures standing in an oval formation on a remote road. A targeting crosshair is fixed over the gathering. Seconds later, a sharp flash fills the frame, followed by smoke. The camera then zooms out to reveal a growing column of smoke and several nearby vehicles. The final shot shows a large crater at the point of impact. No bodies are clearly visible.
These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2025
They will never sink our ships again! pic.twitter.com/lEzfyDgWP5
Rising death toll amid escalating air raids
Trump’s video comes in the wake of a sharp escalation in US-led airstrikes across Yemen. According to media outlets aligned with the Houthis, at least 67 people have been killed in the past week alone. Strikes have hit locations in Hodeida, Saada, Sanaa and Hajjah. Four civilians reportedly died at a water project site in Hodeida’s Mansuriyah district.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have launched repeated attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. They say these strikes are a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. While the US has condemned the attacks on international shipping, the Houthis maintain that their campaign is part of a broader act of resistance.
US deploys additional forces to the Middle East
As the death toll rises and tensions deepen, Washington is reinforcing its military posture in the region. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced the deployment of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, to join the USS Harry S. Truman already stationed in the Middle East.
The objective, according to US officials, is “to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region.”
Further reinforcements include additional squadrons of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the Idaho Air National Guard. More than 300 airmen from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing have now been deployed to support the operations.
Senior Houthi leaders believed targeted
Although the US military has not confirmed any high-level deaths, reports based on leaked Signal messages and hints from Trump administration officials suggest that members of the Houthi missile command may have been among the targets.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday, “Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders.”
“They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored,” she added.
She also confirmed that more than 200 strikes had been carried out on a single day—Tuesday—signalling the scale and pace of the US campaign.
A shifting conflict with global stakes
The latest phase of American involvement in Yemen marks a significant shift in regional dynamics. The Red Sea, a key corridor for global shipping, has become a flashpoint for military confrontation. With two US aircraft carriers now patrolling nearby waters and hundreds of airmen deployed, the message from Washington is clear: disruption to global trade routes will not go unanswered.
For Yemen, already devastated by years of war, the human cost continues to mount. And with President Trump posting drone footage to his followers with a caption that reads “Oops,” questions remain over the balance between military action and accountability.
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