April 22 (UPI) — Yemen-based Houthi attacks on shipping and U.S. forces prompted ongoing military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, President Trump told congressional leaders in a March 28 letter.
The White House on Tuesday released the contents of identical letters to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate President pro tempore Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, from President Donald Trump.
“Houthi militants operating from bases in Yemen have perpetrated piratical aggressions against shipping and have continued to threaten and attack United States forces in the airspace and waters in and around Yemen,” Trump said.
“I will no longer allow this band of pirates to threaten and attack United States forces and commercial vessels in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world,” Trump added. “We will act to keep Americans safe.”
The president said he directed the Department of Defense to take several actions against the Houthis in Yemen, including moving additional forces into the Middle East to improve the U.S. military’s defensive capabilities and be better prepared for potential military actions.
“These forces include capabilities for air and missile defense of Israel and of locations hosting United States forces as well as fighter, support and reconnaissance aircraft to enable strikes on Houthi targets,” Trump explained.
“The additional forces have deployed to countries in the Middle East region.”
He said U.S. Central Command forces “commenced large-scale strikes in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen to eliminate” Houthi threats against commercial shipping and U.S. forces in the Red Sea and surrounding waters.
U.S. Navy Ships and aircraft and Air Force bombers, fighters and drone aircraft carried out the military strikes against Houthi targets located in and around Yemen.
“Targets have included Houthi leadership and equipment, command and control facilities, and munitions storage facilities,” Trump told Johnson and Grassley.
“We will continue these decisive military operations until the Houthi threat to United States forces and navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea and adjacent waters has abated.”
He provided Johnson and Grassley with the letter to report to keep Congress fully informed in accordance with the War Powers Resolution.
“I directed these actions consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans’ and United States’ interests abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority as commander-in-chief,” Trump said.
The president sent the duplicate letters to the congressional leaders shortly after The Atlantic journalist and editor Jeffrey Goldberg announced he inadvertently was included in a Signal chat discussion among Trump cabinet members and others regarding the pending military action against the Houthis.