Name: US Strikes on Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen Killed Multiple Leaders: Waltz
Uploaded: 2025-03-17T14:33:54.000Z
Description: National Security Adviser Micahel Waltz said on March 16 that the Trump administration's strikes on Houthis in Yemen resulted in significant blows to its leadership.

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Bonta Announces Major Fentanyl Bust in California

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Cooper Praises Trump's Military Actions

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Lawyers in OpenAI Trial Give Closing Arguments

Eva Fu is a New York-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at eva.fu@epochtimes.com

Eva Fu

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

China News

Organ Harvesting in China

Congressional Hearing Spotlights Forced Organ Harvesting in China

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Report: Giants WR Nabers Had 2nd Procedure on Knee

Xavier Becerra Leads New California Governor Poll

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

National Security Adviser Micahel Waltz said on March 16 that the Trump administration's strikes on Houthis in Yemen resulted in significant blows to its leadership.

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," Waltz confirmed the strikes and described the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, as "essentially Al Qaeda with sophisticated Iranian-backed air defenses and anti-ship cruise missiles and drones."

"We hit the Houthi leadership, killing several of their key leaders last night, their infrastructure, the missiles," he said.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump ordered several airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in Yemen, vowing to use "overwhelming lethal force" until the Iran-back terrorists end their attacks on a critical sea lane.

The Houthis said the strikes led to at least 31 deaths, but those numbers could not be independently verified, and the United States has not yet released death toll estimates.

"Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom," Trump wrote in a social media <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114167864888304754">post</a>. "No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World."

The White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/president-trump-is-standing-up-to-terrorism-and-protecting-international-commerce/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">said</a> on Saturday that it has been more than a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship has been able to safely sail through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden—one of the world's most important shipping corridors.

While speaking with ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Waltz emphasized the threat to global shipping, which has forced many vessels to reroute around the southern tip of Africa.

"It is Iran that has repeatedly funded, resourced, trained and helped the Houthis target not only U.S. warships, but global commerce, and has helped the Houthis shut down two of the world's most strategic sea lanes," Waltz said. "Seventy percent of global shipping is now diverting around Southern Africa, adding to the cost of goods, disrupting global economies, adding to or shutting off supplies to the United States."

Trump has warned Iran to stop supporting the terrorist organization, vowing to hold the nation "fully accountable" for the Houthis' actions.

Iran is denying any direct involvement. Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said his nation "plays no role in setting the national or operational policies" of allied militant groups throughout the region, according to state-run media.

Speaking with CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Houthis have struck or attacked the U.S. Navy 174 times and 145 times, respectively, in the last 18 months.

"We basically have a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. That’s just not sustainable," he said.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the airstrikes are "about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence."

"The minute the Houthis say, ‘we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting," he told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."

Yemen's Houthis targeted U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its warships with ballistic missiles and drones in response to alleged U.S. attacks on Yemen, the group's military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised statement on Sunday.

He said the group will continue attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel does not lift a block on aid entering Gaza.

<em>The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-strikes-on-iran-backed-houthis-in-yemen-killed-multiple-leaders-waltz-5826450">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Politics

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

02_Second Lead

Executive Branch

Jacob Burg reports on the state of Florida for The Epoch Times. He covers a variety of topics including crime, politics, science, education, wildlife, family issues, and features. He previously wrote about sports, politics, and breaking news for the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Jacob Burg

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.