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U.S. forces continued airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen for the fifth day on Wednesday, hitting targets in Sanaa and al-Bayda, according to Houthi media. The strikes followed one day after Houthi forces launched a ballistic missile at Israel; the attempt was not successful, and the missile was shot down by Israeli air defenses. <\/p>\n
In a statement on his social media platform, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the Houthis with destruction if they did not cease attacks on international shipping. <\/p>\n
"Tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians, and watch how it will get progressively worse — it’s not even a fair fight, and never will be," Trump said. "They will be completely annihilated!"<\/p>\n
\nCENTCOM forces continue 24\/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis…#HouthisAreTerrorists<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/RkWsmDgEFR<\/a><\/p>\n
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nWATCH ????<\/p>\n
Aftermath of U.S. Navy strikes in Sana’a: American airstrikes targeted Houthi missile platforms and weapons warehouses across Yemen. https:\/\/t.co\/MW2XzjtLvn<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/VxpMLfhk7o<\/a><\/p>\n
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
He added that the U.S. believes that Iran has ceased sending major weapons systems to the terrorist group, but continues to send "supplies" – unacceptable to the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
"Iran must stop the sending of these supplies immediately," he said. "Let the Houthis fight it out themselves. Either way they lose, but this way they lose quickly."<\/p>\n
Houthi leaders claimed that they shot down another U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone over Yemen, and threatened to continue attacks on U.S. interests. <\/p>\n
"[Houthi forces] will escalate their military operations against the Zionist enemy unless the brutal aggression on Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted," Houthi leadership said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Navy says that Houthi forces have yet to hit an American warship after more than a year of drone and missile engagements in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. However, the service's successful defense has come at a high cost in the form of expensive, hard-to-replace Standard Missiles, used to shoot down Houthi threats at long range. The U.S. Air Force has adapted the use of a small laser-guided rocket munition – developed for counterterror\/counterinsurgency airstrikes – to destroy Houthi drones more economically, U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday. <\/p>\n
\nU.S. Fighter aircraft shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way-attack drones with AGR-20 FALCO Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Laser Guided 2.75" Rockets.#HouthisAreTerrorists<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/bDoVnKwotc<\/a><\/p>\n
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n