Houthis claim strike on USS Harry S. Truman after US raids in Yemen

# Houthis claim strike on USS Harry S. Truman after US raids in Yemen

The Houthi movement says it launched a major attack on the USS Harry S. Truman, but the claim was unverified and no damage was reported in the source packet.

Al Jazeera Arabic reported that Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted the U.S. aircraft carrier with 18 missiles and drones. He described the operation as a “qualitative” strike.

Saree said the attack was retaliation for what he called U.S. aggression against several Yemeni governorates. According to the report, the U.S. had carried out more than 47 airstrikes, which Houthi media said killed 32 people and wounded more than 100, though those casualty figures were described as preliminary.

The report also said the Houthi announcement came after the group renewed a ban on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab and Gulf of Aden. The group said the move followed the expiry of an ultimatum it had issued for aid to be allowed into Gaza.

The U.S. side, at least in this source, was described only through its military action and the broader campaign against the group. President Donald Trump had ordered what he called a “decisive and powerful military action” against the Houthis, accusing them of piracy, violence and terrorism against U.S. and international shipping and aircraft.

The claim about the Truman matters because it shows how quickly the Red Sea conflict can widen from maritime disruption to direct claims of attacks on U.S. naval assets. But the report does not say the strike was independently confirmed, nor does it report any damage or casualties aboard the ship.

That uncertainty is important. In wartime claims, especially when issued by armed groups, the immediate headline may reflect a claim rather than a verified battlefield result.

The report situates the attack within a longer cycle that has run since November 2023, when the Houthis began targeting Israeli-linked shipping and, at times, Israeli territory, in what they said was solidarity with Gaza. It also notes that the group had paused its attacks when the Gaza ceasefire took effect on January 19 before restarting pressure after the latest U.S. campaign.

For now, the key public facts are limited: the Houthis say they fired 18 missiles and drones, the attack followed renewed U.S. airstrikes, and there is no reporting here of damage to the U.S. vessel. The claim remains exactly that, a claim, until corroborated by independent sources or U.S. statements.