Houthi leaders 'heavily protected' against US strikes

After Washington's barrage, security source in Sanaa says aerial attacks on rebel group are futile

Sources say senior Houthis such as Abdul Malik Al Houthi, left, and Mohammed Al Houthi, are in no danger. EPA / AFP

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Attacking the leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels by air with any success is "impossible", as they are heavily protected against US strikes, a Yemeni security source in Sanaa has told The National, saying American intelligence on the Iran-backed group was insufficient.

Washington launched a barrage of strikes on Yemen on Saturday aimed at pressuring the Houthis to end their attacks on key global shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Houthi-controlled Sanaa was heavily hit, including northern districts frequented by members of the rebels' leadership. US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz said the attacks "targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out".

The Houthis, part of Iran's "axis of resistance" in the Middle East against the US and Israel, have been attacking Red Sea ships with missiles and drones in what they call a campaign of solidarity with the Palestinians, driven by the Gaza war. On Tuesday they claimed their third attack in 48 hours, taking aim at the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier and supporting ships in its strike group.

Their leaders are "heavily protected by precautionary measures and targeting them by air is impossible as there is no intelligence available regarding their residences", the source told The National. "The US seems to have no real intelligence and the information they have is misleading."

Washington has vowed to keep striking Yemen until the Houthis stop their attacks, with US President Donald Trump warning he will hold Iran accountable for any further strikes carried out by the group.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible," Mr Trump posted on social media.

Iran responded by calling Mr Trump's statement "belligerent".

A US fighter plane takes off for a military operation against the Houthis in an unknown location. Reuters via Centcom

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV channel reported more US strikes on Monday night in the Hodeidah and Al Salif regions of Yemen, while the Huthi Ansarollah website said strikes hit Yemen's capital Sanaa early on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the Houthis said two US air strikes hit the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship hijacked by the rebels in November 2023 and taken to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

Targeting the Galaxy "reflects a state of frustration and failure" on the part of the US administration, the source told The National.

The Houthi campaign has disrupted the vital Red Sea shipping route, which normally carries about 12 per cent of the world's traffic. The attacks have forced many companies into a costly and lengthy detour around the southern tip of Africa.

The Yemeni security source said the Houthis possess "military technology that no other armed group has" and warned: "There will be surprises."

"The Houthis' options are vast and they have a vast database on the US," they added. "They can shut down the Red Sea completely."

Another security source in Sanaa told The National an escalation in Houthi shipping attacks should be expected. "The Houthis will now act as if the aggression against Yemen and the region hasn't stopped," they said.

But a US defence official said at the weekend that the Houthis are "well known for false claims minimising the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs" and that they "continue to communicate lies and disinformation".

US Air Force Lt Gen Alexus Grynkewich said the rebels were missing their targets "by over 100 miles" (160km).

Tens of thousands of Yemenis turned out on the streets of Sanaa in protest over the US air strikes, with many waving assault rifles, daggers, or copies of the Quran, chanting "Death to America". The US attacks have killed 53 people, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said.

There were also large crowds in Saada, the birthplace of the Houthi movement, and demonstrations in Dhamar, Hodeidah and Amran, footage on Al Masirah showed.

The Houthis control much of Yemen after ousting the internationally recognised government from Sanaa. They have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the government since 2015, a conflict that has led to a major humanitarian crisis. Fighting has largely been on hold since a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 but the peace process has stalled since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping.