By: Isciane Genuist

For the past two weeks, the United States has intensified its airstrikes in Yemen,
targeting the Houthis, a rebel group based in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. U.S. President Donald Trump aims to apply maximum pressure on Iran to force it to abandon its nuclear ambitions. “Real pain is yet to come for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, his own social media platform.

The Houthis are a rebel faction involved in Yemen’s ongoing civil war, which began in 2014. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and has created a severe humanitarian crisis. It pits the internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia, against the Houthis, who receive support from Iran. The group is also part of the so-called “axis of resistance,” alongside Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, opposing both Israel and the United States.

The Houthis currently control a significant portion of Yemen, including the capital, Sana’a. They have repeatedly targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea, which they believe are connected to Israel. These attacks have disrupted access to the Suez Canal, a critical maritime passage responsible for around 12% of global trade, making this a strategically sensitive region.

In response, the White House launched a new military operation, carrying out over 200 airstrikes against Houthi targets. According to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, “Iran has been significantly weakened as a result of these attacks. We’ve seen key Houthi leaders eliminated, including critical figures responsible for launching strikes on naval and commercial vessels. This operation will continue until freedom of navigation in the region is fully restored.” The Houthis report that 60 people have been killed in the strikes.

Following these operations, the U.S. deployed two additional aircraft carriers to the Middle East. This comes after the existing American carrier in the region had previously been targeted by Houthi forces.

While President Joe Biden also conducted strikes against the Houthis, the difference now lies in the nature of these actions: under Trump, the strikes are no longer defensive. Trump’s objective is to deter the Houthis from attacking American vessels in the Red Sea and to dismantle the group’s military capabilities entirely.

What is Iran’s role in all of this? Iran, which has long-standing tensions with the U.S., is a key backer of the Houthis. By targeting the Houthis, Trump is seeking to pressure Tehran into returning to negotiations over its nuclear program. Although Iran does not officially possess nuclear weapons, its nuclear program, originally launched in the 1950s with support from several countries, including the U.S., has become a global concern. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, U.S.-Iran relations have deteriorated, leading to the end of American support for Iran’s nuclear development.

The U.S. currently fears that Iran may convert its civilian nuclear program into a military one capable of producing atomic weapons. These concerns grew in the 2000s after the discovery of undeclared uranium enrichment sites in Iran, which is a critical step in developing a nuclear bomb. Iran has consistently denied these allegations, insisting its nuclear activities are for civilian purposes only.

In 2015, a landmark agreement was signed between Iran, Germany, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The deal aimed to limit Iran’s uranium enrichment, impose stricter inspections, and curb its military potential in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. However, in 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, arguing that it was ineffective, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirming Iran’s compliance. He reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to resume uranium enrichment up to 60%, close to the 90% level needed for a nuclear weapon. Western countries and the IAEA now fear that Iran may soon be capable of producing nuclear bombs. Trump has expressed interest in restarting negotiations with Tehran, especially over the undeclared enrichment sites. At the end of March, Iran agreed to talks with the U.S. but emphasized that it would not accept negotiations under pressure and warned of rising regional tensions. Trump has suggested that military action against Iran remains a possibility if diplomatic efforts fail. His goal is to reach a new agreement, and he warned that Iran would face serious consequences if talks break down. On Saturday, April 13, U.S. and Iranian officials met in Oman, but the discussions were inconclusive. Another round of talks might be  scheduled for Saturday, April 19, in Rome.