Mike Waltz Details Major Houthi Targets Destroyed by U.S. Military

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz revealed over the weekend the scope of destruction the U.S. military has dealt to the Iranian-backed Houthis, as part of a robust campaign to safeguard international shipping routes in the Red Sea. Under President Trump’s renewed leadership, the military has moved decisively reversing the ineffectual pinprick strikes of the Biden era.

Speaking on CBS News' “Face The Nation,” Waltz listed a series of high-value Houthi targets that have been obliterated:

• Key Houthi leadership eliminated, including their top missile commander

• Headquarters and command centers taken out

• Communications nodes and weapons factories destroyed

• Over-the-water drone production facilities targeted in recent days

“This is not the piecemeal, months-long response we saw from the last administration,” Waltz emphasized. “President Trump has decided to hit the Houthis hard, shutting down their ability to threaten international commerce and U.S. naval forces.”

For over a year, Houthi forces armed to the teeth by Iran have harassed commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. Waltz compared the group to “al Qaeda or ISIS, but with advanced cruise missiles and air defenses courtesy of Iran.” Their campaign has threatened one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, endangering global trade and American national security alike.

Key context:

• Over 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea, making it one of the most crucial maritime corridors.

• U.S. merchant and naval ships have been attacked repeatedly, with more than 20 documented Houthi assaults in the past year alone.

• Under Biden, weak responses allowed these aggressions to escalate, putting both American lives and international commerce at risk.

Waltz underscored Trump's commitment to ending this chaos “Keeping sea lanes open is fundamental to our national security. The Trump administration is doing something tougher, more decisive, and more effective than what we’ve seen before.”

With the Trump team’s no-nonsense approach, America is reasserting strength and restoring deterrence reminding enemies like the Houthis and their Iranian sponsors that attacks on American interests will come at a steep price.

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