Yemen’s Houthi movement has said it has retaliated against the United States following airstrikes that killed at least 53 people, including women and children, amid rising regional tensions over the conflict in Gaza.

The latest attacks mark a significant escalation, with Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announcing that the group had targeted the USS Harry S Truman and other US warships with 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones. The US has yet to comment on the claim.

The death toll from Saturday’s strikes, carried out by the US, rose to 53, with at least five children and two women among the victims, according to Houthi-run health ministry spokesperson Anees Alsbahi. The number of injured has climbed to 98, he added.

In a televised statement, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi accused the US and Israel of attempting to impose their dominance over the region.

“We will respond to the American enemy with missile strikes and by targeting their naval vessels,” he said, reiterating that the Houthis would continue their maritime campaign in the Red Sea until Israel lifts its blockade on Gaza.

The US launched its latest round of strikes in response to ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping, which began in 2023 as a protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. US President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that Washington would use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Houthis ceased their operations.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking to Fox News, said the airstrikes would continue relentlessly until the Houthis stopped targeting global shipping routes.

“This will continue until they say, ‘We’re done shooting at ships. We’re done shooting at assets,’” he said, adding that the campaign was also a warning to Iran, which the US accuses of supporting the group.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the sentiment, stating that the strikes aimed to dismantle the Houthis’ capability to target vessels. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz claimed that multiple Houthi leaders had been eliminated in the attacks, though the group has not confirmed these reports.

The Houthis had halted their maritime operations following a ceasefire in Gaza earlier this year but resumed attacks last week after accusing Israel of blocking aid deliveries to the besieged territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced in early March that humanitarian aid to Gaza would be restricted to pressure Hamas into accepting an extended ceasefire.

Former US diplomat Nabeel Khoury described Washington’s approach as “misguided,” arguing that airstrikes were unlikely to deter the Houthis, who had “been bombed severely all over their territory” in the past.

Iran, which has been accused by the US of backing the Houthis, denied any involvement in the group’s military operations. General Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Tehran did not dictate the actions of its regional allies.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to exercise restraint, warning that continued hostilities could further destabilize the region and worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

The US and its allies have carried out multiple airstrikes against Houthi targets since January 2024, in response to attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Washington maintains that the Houthis are acting as an Iranian proxy, though Tehran denies direct involvement.