WHITE HOUSE DISMISSES CLAIM | Scoffs at  rebels for missing by ‘over 100 miles’; says Iran-backed group 'continues to to communicate lies and disinformation’

Agencies DUBAI/WASHINGTON

Yemen’s Houthis on Tuesday claimed their third attack on American warships in 48 hours, despite US strikes on the Iran-backed rebels that have sparked mass protests. The Houthis said on Telegram they had targeted the ‘USS Harry S. Truman’ carrier group with missiles and drones, making the attack the “third in the past 48 hours” in the northern Red Sea.

A US defence official said the Houthis “continue to communicate lies and disinformation”, adding the Iran-backed group is “well known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs.” US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich earlier told reporters it was “hard to confirm” the attacks claimed by the Houthis as the rebels were missing their targets “by over 100 miles (160 kilometers)”.

Houthi media said fresh US strikes hit Yemen on Monday after tens of thousands demonstrated, many waving assault rifles, daggers, or Qurans, chanting, “Death to America, death to Israel!”, in the capital Sanaa. There were also large crowds in Saada, the birthplace of the Houthi movement, and demonstrations in Dhamar, Hodeida, and Amran, footage from the rebels’ Al-Masirah TV station showed.

“Yemen will never back down — we defy the Americans, we defy the Zionists,” said a man shouting slogans to the Sanaa crowd, who chanted back: ‘We are the men of the Prophet’.” The protests came after Washington launched a fresh round of airstrikes on Yemen beginning Saturday, aiming to pressure the Houthis into ending their attacks on Red Sea shipping.

The Houthis have targeted ships traveling the major trade route since the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians. US President Donald Trump on Monday explicitly linked the actions of Yemen’s Houthi rebels to the group’s main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran it would “suffer the consequences” for further attacks 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,” Trump posted on social media. Iran responded by calling his statement “belligerent.”

The comments by Trump coincided with his administration’s new campaign of airstrikes targeting the rebels, which  killed at least 53 people this weekend alone. US  officials said the strikes were carried out against more than 40 targets and more airstrikes were planned in the coming days. Meanwhile, the Iranians continue to weigh how to respond to a letter Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme.