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State Department: U.S. military deterrence operations aimed to stop Houthi attacks on shipping; spokesperson says maritime assaults must end
Summary
The State Department spokesperson described U.S. military operations targeting Houthi capabilities as part of a policy shift to stop repeated attacks on commercial and U.S. vessels, saying previous limited responses are replaced by stronger deterrence to protect navigation.
The State Department spokesperson described recent U.S. military deterrence operations against the Houthi forces in Yemen as intended to stop attacks on U.S. vessels and global shipping and to change the Houthis' posture.
Tammy said, "Following the strikes, Secretary Rubio noted that the president, 'sent a powerful and clear message. These attacks on US vessels and global shipping must stop, and we will hold you accountable. We will protect our people and freedom of navigation.'" The spokesperson framed the operations as part of a broader administration posture to move beyond "pinprick responses."
During the briefing Tammy said there have been "about 74 attacks on American naval ships," and she described the situation as untenable, saying the messaging to the Houthis is that "this will end when you end the attack on both commercial and military ships in that region." She characterized the Houthis as operating in coordination with Iranian-backed dynamics.
The briefing tied the military posture to a policy of "peace through strength," and the spokesperson said U.S. action was aimed at protecting maritime traffic and deterring further assaults. The spokesperson emphasized efforts to avoid civilian casualties but said the administration lamented loss of life in the conflict.
The briefing did not provide operational details such as specific targets, timing of strikes, legal authorizations cited for the military action, or independent corroboration of the attack count; those specifics were not provided in the transcript.
The State Department framed the operations as intended to restore safe navigation and as part of a diplomatic and economic pressure campaign on parties that support or enable attacks.
