The Houthi group in Yemen said Friday witnessed the highest number of US airstrikes in a single day since Washington began its military campaign against Houthi-held areas in mid-March, with 69 raids reportedly carried out across multiple provinces. According to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, US warplanes conducted 26 air raids by the afternoon on the capital Sanaa, and in Al-Jawf and Saada provinces. Later updates brought the total to 69 strikes, including 19 on Amran, eight in Sanaa, seven on Saada, four on Marib, three on Al-Hudaydah, and two on Al-Jawf. The Houthi Health Ministry said seven civilians were wounded in airstrikes on the Al-Tahreer district in central Sanaa. In Saada province, one civilian was reportedly killed and three others injured. The Houthis also claimed that civilian properties were damaged during the bombardment. The spike in air raids came after US President Donald Trump announced a "major offensive" against the Houthis on March 15, threatening to "whip them out completely." The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah and designated a terrorist organization by the United States, have targeted Israeli-linked vessels transiting the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea since late 2023. The group has described its attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. While the Houthi group halted its maritime attacks during a temporary ceasefire declared in January, it resumed threats after Israel blocked humanitarian aid into Gaza on March 2. — Agencies
