Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for attacks on two US aircraft carrier groups currently patrolling the Red Sea and areas off Yemen’s coast on Monday, and further announced fresh drone launches on the southern Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Eilat.

The Pentagon has not confirmed that US warships have come under attack. But the US side has tended to remain silent in the face of similar recent reports by the Houthis. However, Washington has in the recent past acknowledged Houthi efforts to target its warships with drones and missiles.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea cited American support for Israel as it “oppresses the Palestinian people”. Describing the fresh attacks, he said: “The first targeted a vital Israeli enemy target in the occupied Ashkelon area using a Yaffa drone, while the second targeted an Israeli military target in the Umm al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine using a Sammad-1 drone.”

He then announced two military operations against the US in “retaliation to the American aggression against our country and its massacres against our people.”

“Missile forces and drone units launched two cruise missiles and two drones at the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and its associated ships in the northern part of the Red Sea. The second operation, carried out by naval forces, missile troops and drone units, targeted the USS Carl Vinson and its associated ships in the Arabian Sea, using three cruise missiles and four drones,” Sarea told the Al Masirah TV channel.

Saria then claimed that “the goals of both military operations were successfully accomplished.” But there are as yet no signs the carriers were actually hit by any inbound fire. The Houthis actually made a similar claim of attacks on both US carriers on April 18.

Just about a week ago the USS Harry S. Truman was joined by the USS Carl Vinson in regional Mideast waters. Presumably this is a sign the Trump administration plans to ramp of its airstrikes on Yemen even further.

The Houthis have proven impossible to dislodge merely through airstrikes, which have been intense and ongoing since March 15. There have been recent reports that the United States is in talks with Saudi-supported Yemeni forces in exile (who have long fought the Houthi rebels) to cobble together a possible new land offensive to send against the Shia militant group which is allied to Iran.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) living up to its motto: “Vis Per Mare,” which means “Strength from the Sea” in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility… pic.twitter.com/4t964ihhbg

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 12, 2025

“Yemeni forces opposed to the Houthis are in talks with the US and Gulf Arab allies about a possible land offensive to oust the militant group from the Red Sea coast, according to people involved in the discussions,” Bloomberg wrote last week.

Even if the US commits itself to a ‘limited’ ground operation using proxies, there’s always the potential for serious escalation which leads to direct Pentagon boots on the ground. The whole Yemen campaign seems a ‘no win’ situation, and is ultimately to the greater benefit of Israel – and not necessarily Washington.