A single moment in time can define the future and impact lives in ways beyond the comprehension of many Americans. For the crew and families who suffered the unimaginable loss of their Sailor, that moment in time came at 11:18 a.m. on October 12, 2000. Those of us who directly experienced that brutal Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on our ship, that moment in time loops back to play over and over in our minds. Now, each of us who was there, along with many in the Navy and the nation, will pause to reflect on the past 25 years of how that moment affected our lives. We live with the crystal-clear memory of those who chose to serve our nation and died for our freedom. Their sacrifice remains paramount in our thoughts and prayers.
USS Cole spent a year training for deployment to the Mediterranean and the Middle East with a clearly defined mission — safeguard U.S. national security through presence operations and maritime interdiction of illicit vessels smuggling oil out of Iraq. The crew was really good, but I knew I could demand better of them and was relentless in achieving more. Ultimately, our standards of performance and training were higher than any ship on the Norfolk waterfront.
Sure, there was the typical Sailor grumbling and complaining that we were spending too much time doing drills and learning watch and combat positions beyond their normal duty requirements. Little did we know that the investment in ourselves would save a $1 billion warship and most of the wounded crew.
On August 8, 2000, with families and friends tearfully waving goodbye, the ship slowly maneuvered off the pier and began a voyage into the annals of history. That day, a new benchmark of performance was set in the U.S. Navy — USS Cole got underway with a 100% qualified all-enlisted crew manning every sea and anchor detail watch position. It was an incredible achievement, never done before and never repeated since. More importantly, that accomplishment left an indelible mark on a crew, now absolutely confident they were well prepared for anything that might come their way, including combat.
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Following port visits in Spain, France, Malta, and Slovenia, we transited the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to enter the Port of Aden, Yemen, for an expected 6-8-hour brief stop for fuel. Three garbage barges were contracted to remove trash. After the first two barges departed, a third boat that looked exactly like the previous two garbage barges approached and came alongside amidship. We had no intelligence, warnings, or indications that this boat was actually manned by two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers and packed with explosives built into the hull as a waterborne improvised explosive device.
Suddenly, that singular moment in time occurred. At 25,000 feet per second, the blast shock wave pierced the hull, rapidly expanding as a powerful ball of flame into the interior of the ship. In a split second, metal was rendered unrecognizable, bodies were crushed and mangled, burned by the explosion’s wall of flame. In that instant, heroes stepped in to save lives that were forever changed, and within hours, families would be notified of the worst news possible — their loved one had been killed in the service of our country.
<div id="attachment_987153" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-987153" class="size-large wp-image-987153" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-768x576.jpg" alt="380160 02: (FILE PHOTO) A gaping hole mars the port sidee sustained by the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Cole after a terrorist bomb exploded and killed at least five people and injured 36 during a refueling operation October 12, 2000 in the port of Aden, Yemen. October 12, 2001, marks the one year anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole. (Photo Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Getty Images)" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Getty Images</div>
Training paid off within an hour as the crew valiantly stabilized the ship, preventing it from sinking and becoming a war trophy for Al-Qaeda. That first day, the crew evacuated 33 wounded off the ship within 99 minutes after the explosion. Ultimately, 32 would survive. While on our own in the immediate aftermath, we were never alone. France deployed a lifesaving medical team, flying 11 wounded to advanced medical facilities in Djibouti. That evening, staff from the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain arrived to arrange for security and get food and water out to the ship. The next morning, the British arrived with a security and damage control team from the HMS Marlborough. Later that day, two U.S. Navy ships, USS Donald Cook and USS Hawes, arrived to provide help and logistics support.
For the next 17 days, the Sailors of USS Cole exhibited initiative and ingenuity as they continually braved equipment failures, system challenges, and, at one point, the loss of our only operating generator on Sunday morning after the attack. The ship began to sink. God love Sailor ingenuity. By late morning, we had cut a hole in the side of the ship near the waterline to pump out floodwater as we feverishly worked to refill our high-pressure air tanks to restart the generator. After a harrowing 22 hours, the generator was started, and USS Cole was saved, again.
<div id="attachment_987149" style="width: 854px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-987149" class="size-large wp-image-987149" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-844x576.jpg" alt="380441 07: U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks during a memorial service for the sailors of the USS Cole October 18, 2000 in Norfolk VA. Clinton attended the service to honored the wounded and dead from the U.S. navy destroyer that was bombed while on a refueling stop in the Yemeni port of Aden. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Newsmakers)" width="844" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-844x576.jpg 844w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-300x205.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-768x524.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" />Mark Wilson/Newsmakers</div>
Finally, after proudly sailing out of Aden harbor blasting our national anthem and Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass” over the loudspeakers, USS Cole was floated onto the heavy lift ship, M/V Blue Marlin, and brought back to the United States for repairs. As a testament to the bravery and tenacity of that crew, USS Cole still proudly serves our nation today. This past Christmas Eve, she returned from deployment after shooting down Houthi anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea and successfully engaging Iranian ballistic missiles being fired into Israel. USS Cole remains in the fight to defend freedom.
As with any single moment in time that can shatter or change lives, the attack on USS Cole should serve as a poignant reminder that our freedom is not free. Twenty-five years ago, the courage of a crew was tested in combat, and the results speak for themselves. As a nation, we remain blessed with those who choose to raise their right hand, swear an oath to defend our Constitution and protect our freedom at the cost of their lives. Today, I could not be prouder of my crew and their accomplishments — they are the true heroes who saved USS Cole and their shipmates. Well done!
* * *
Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.), was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole when it came under a suicide terrorist attack by al Qaeda in the Port of Aden, Yemen. During his command, he and his crew distinguished themselves by saving the American warship from sinking. This event is widely recognized as one of the most brazen acts of terrorism by al Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/episode-1-the-attack?contentProgram=USS%20COLE%3A%20Al%20Qaeda%E2%80%99s%20Strike%20Before%209%2F11&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">WATCH: USS Cole: Al-Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11 on DailyWire+</a></h3>

The Cole Bombing

I Commanded The USS Cole On The Day Al-Qaeda Tried To Sink Her

Al Qaeda

Documentaries

Osama bin Laden

Radical Islamic Terror

Red Sea

terrorist attack

U.S. Navy

USS Cole

Yemen

It has been 24 years since the deadly attacks on the U.S. that unleashed a decade-long war against Al-Qaeda and the hunt for its leader. Those who fought that war and participated in that hunt should be remembered and honored for it. 
I had the privilege to play a small role in the endgame of that search as we delivered justice to the killer of so many innocents. It is also good to commemorate the Americans who fell in battles with Al Qaeda before we acknowledged that we were, in fact, at war with that terrorist organization. Those pre-9/11 clashes included the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center and the 1998 bombings of the American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. 
It was the Al Qaeda assault on the USS Cole in 2000, however, that is seen as a precursor to September 11, 2001.
In 1779, when a British officer demanded the surrender of the USS Bonhomme Richard, John Paul Jones — founder of the American Navy — famously retorted, “I have not yet begun to fight.” That retort has been the credo of American sailors ever since. And it epitomized the reaction of every crew member aboard the USS Cole to the attack on their ship.
Now, 25 years after the surprise attack, Big Media and DailyWire+ bring you &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTvFDubU86g">USS Cole: Al Qaeda&#8217;s Strike Before 9/11.</a>&#8221; The three-part documentary captures the crew&#8217;s courage, professionalism, and sacrifice during and after the assault on their ship.
<div id="attachment_981571" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/uss-cole-al-qaeda-s-strike-before-9-11-official-trailer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-981571" class="size-large wp-image-981571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>DailyWire+</div>
The documentary also provides insights into the efforts of the skipper of the USS Cole, Commander Kirk S. Lippold, and other military professionals, who navigate the limitations placed on their abilities to respond to terror threats in the pre-9/11 era, which are at once fascinating and deeply unsettling. Finally, the show documents the comprehensive investigation and relentless pursuit of the perpetrators in the wake of the attack.
The Al Qaeda attack on the Cole occurred on October 12, 2000. The U.S. Navy destroyer was making a routine refueling stop at the Port of Aden, Yemen, when a small boat carrying concealed explosives approached the port side of the ship. The two men on board made friendly gestures to sailors on the Cole, and then detonated their lethal cargo. The resulting blast tore a 40-foot-wide hole in the hull near the galley, at a time when many crew members were lining up for lunch. The explosion killed 17 personnel on the ship and injured 40 others. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, which had been coordinated by operatives who had trained in Afghanistan.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="USS COLE: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11 | Official Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTvFDubU86g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
As shown in the Big Media production, the crew of the Cole responded to the attack with extraordinary bravery and professionalism, working to triage injured shipmates and to deal with the extensive damage to the vessel. Within minutes of the explosion, medical personnel were rescuing, treating, and evacuating the wounded, many of whom were trapped under collapsed bulkheads. Sailors, a number of whom were badly injured themselves, fought flooding and fires for more than 96 hours, working without adequate sleep or food, often in total darkness and with the threat of further explosions. They did this despite the loss of key leaders, demonstrating great technical skill and courage in extremely hazardous conditions. With the assistance of nearby British Royal Navy ships and medical aid from the French military, the crew members saved the lives of injured shipmates and kept their ship from sinking. Later transported back to the U.S. for repair, the Cole remains in service with the Navy today.
&#8220;USS Cole: Al Qaeda&#8217;s Strike Before 9/11&#8221; also recounts the FBI investigation into the attack on the Cole. The Bureau dispatched more than 100 agents, lab technicians, and counterterrorism personnel to Yemen. Working with local authorities, FBI officers conducted witness interviews and collected evidence that resulted in a determination that Al Qaeda was, indeed, responsible for the Cole attack. In fact, it was tied to an abortive attempt to bomb another Navy ship, the USS The Sullivans, in January 2000. By the end of 2000, two men suspected of masterminding the bombing were arrested. Both subsequently escaped from Yemeni jails but were later killed in separate American airstrikes.
Another planner of the attack, captured in 2002, was shipped to Guantanamo Bay, where he was charged with responsibility for the Cole bombing and other terror-related offenses. Additional investigations and prosecutions identified numerous unindicted Al Qaeda co-conspirators. U.S. authorities have continuously pursued the remaining suspects. 
The lessons learned from the ordeal of the USS Cole and the investigations resulted in significant changes to U.S. Navy force protection protocols and U.S. counterterrorism policy. The documentary raises a key question over whether one of the key factors that contributed to the successful terrorist bombing of the Cole — and to the 9/11 attack — was that we were paying attention to things that distracted us from the threat.
Before the first plane struck the World Trade Center, we, as a nation, had not yet begun to fight. But the men and women of the USS Cole already had. And it is right that we should honor and remember them for it. In its portrayal of their courage, heroism, and sacrifice, the Big Media telling of their story does just that.
* * *
Mark Kelton is the former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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USS-Cole-16×9 keyart

Before 9/11, There Was The USS Cole: New Documentary Recounts A Defining Attack

9/11

Bill Clinton

Islamic Jihad

Middle East

According to US Central Command (CEMTCOM), Yemeni forces opposed to the anti-American Houthis, who are a proxy for Iran, successfully interdicted a massive Iranian weapons shipment bound for the Houthis.
Reports in 2024 indicated that Iran was reportedly acting as a go-between for the Houthis and Russia in order for the Russians to send anti-ship missiles to the Houthis. “Russia is negotiating with the Houthis for the transfer of Yakhont supersonic anti-ship missiles,” an intelligence source told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-brokering-talks-send-advanced-russian-missiles-yemens-houthis-sources-say-2024-09-24/">Reuters</a>. “The Iranians are brokering the talks but do not want to have their signature over it.”
In May of this year, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Iran against providing “lethal support” to the Houthis. “We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis,” Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecDef/status/1917741093392707886">posted on X</a>. “We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.”
“Congratulations to the Yemeni National Resistance  Forces (NRF), led by Gen. Tareq Saleh, for the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history,” CENTCOM wrote on X. “The NRF intercepted and seized over 750 tons of  munitions and hardware to include hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers, components as well as hundreds of drone engines, air defense equipment,  radar systems, and communications equipment.&#8221;
“According to the NRF,  there were manuals in Farsi and many of the systems were manufactured by  a company affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Defense that is sanctioned by the United States. The illegal shipment  was intended for use by the Iranian-backed Houthis,” CENTCOM continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yemeni Partners Successfully Interdict Massive Iranian Weapons Shipment Bound for the Houthis
Congratulations to the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by Gen. Tareq Saleh, for the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history.
The NRF… <a href="https://t.co/4QXAav1bbr">pic.twitter.com/4QXAav1bbr</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1945507629100638655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
“We commend the legitimate government  forces of Yemen who continue to interdict the flow of Iranian munitions  bound for the Houthis,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM, declared. “The interdiction of this massive Iranian shipment  shows that Iran remains the most destabilizing actor in the region. Limiting the free flow of  Iranian support to the Houthis is critic to regional security, stability, and freedom of navigation.”

U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command in Review of The Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2024 and The Future Years Defense Program

CENTCOM Praises Yemeni Allies Who Interdicted Iran’s Weapons Bound For Houthis

Centcom

Global Politics

Houthis

Iran

World

As Israelis have tried to return to normalcy after weeks of sirens forcing them into shelters in the middle of the night, on Tuesday night in Israel, sirens again went off as the Houthis in Yemen, proxies for the despotic regime in Iran, fired another missile at Israel that was intercepted, despite the ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Iran on the morning of June 24.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🔴 Sirens in Jerusalem and throughout Israel due to a missile fired by the Houthis, Iran’s proxy in Yemen.
&mdash; Avi Mayer אבי מאיר (@AviMayer) <a href="https://twitter.com/AviMayer/status/1940100478617985359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨Sirens sounding across several areas in Israel due to projectile fire from Yemen🚨 <a href="https://t.co/hvGexBHeMd">pic.twitter.com/hvGexBHeMd</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1940100582221750441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The last Iran-backed Houthi missile appears to have been an exoatmospheric interception. <a href="https://t.co/Jnv3knhgSQ">https://t.co/Jnv3knhgSQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/PZ1tbGries">pic.twitter.com/PZ1tbGries</a>
&mdash; Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/1940109948052004887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Saturday, the Houthis <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/houthis-claim-responsibility-for-morning-missile-attack-on-south/">fired</a> a ballistic missile at southern Israel; it was intercepted. The terrorist group has been firing missiles at Israel for the last two months. On Sunday morning, the Houthis launched a missile targeting Israel’s largest airport, where hundreds of people waited to board planes out of the country. The Houthi missile hit just 75 meters from Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The massive crater created by the Houthi ballistic missile impact this morning near Ben Gurion International Airport in Central Israel. The missile impacted next to an access road outside the airport, with the crater measured to be 25 meters across and several meters deep,… <a href="https://t.co/VhmLvWNkmJ">pic.twitter.com/VhmLvWNkmJ</a>
&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1918940481842549211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The missile was the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/04/world/middleeast/houthi-missile-tel-aviv-israel.html">fourth missile attack on Israel in 48 hours</a> from the Houthis; the other three were intercepted.
On October 19, 2023, 12 days after the Hamas massacre of more than 1200 Israelis, the Houthis fired a barrage of rockets and drones into Israeli territory. A combination of Saudi air defences and the USS Carney intercepted all of the missiles.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial&amp;_gl=1*r8odly*_gcl_au*MTQ5MDUzNjQ0NC4xNzQ1ODQ0MzMyLjEwNDAyMzM0NDQuMTc0NzY1MzIxNy4xNzQ3NjUzMjE3*_ga*MTM1OTk4Njg2NS4xNzA2NzE2NTAy*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NTEyOTIzMDQkbzMyJGcxJHQxNzUxMjkyOTI5JGo1NyRsMCRoMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-75638">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
In July 2024, the Houthis hit an apartment building near the U.S. Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv with a drone attack, which killed one person and injured 10 others.
According to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Iran has supplied the Houthis with weapons and weapon components.
“Critical components of various missiles were seized and, upon further analysis, found to share near-identical features with Iranian missile systems. Between 2015 and 2024, the United States and its partners have interdicted at least 20 Iranian smuggling vessels, seizing ballistic, cruise, and surface-to-air missile components, antitank guided missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other illicit weapons destined for the Houthis,” the DIA <a href="https://ye.usembassy.gov/dia-report-showcases-iranian-origin-of-houthi-weapons-interdicted-at-sea/">reported</a>, adding, “DIA has released the report to enhance public understanding of Iran’s malign activities and to provide insights into Department of Defense and national security issues. The report advances U.S. intelligence efforts to display the clear connections between Iranian weapons and the weapons used in Houthi attacks.”

Daily Life In Yemen 2025

Israel Thwarts Latest Houthi Attack As Iranian-Backed Missiles Keep Coming

Israel

Terrorism

President Donald Trump earlier this month announced ban on travel from a dozen countries and partial restrictions from seven more in an effort to protect the United States from terrorist and public safety threats.
The ban fully restricts or limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries “found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States” including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Seven countries will face partial travel restrictions, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The White House says the order makes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, people with existing visas, certain visa types, and anyone whose entry would support American national interests.
According to the White House, the goal of the ban is to pressure foreign governments to cooperate on security, help enforce United States immigration laws, and support key national security and counterterrorism priorities.
The restrictions follow a January executive order in which national security agencies were told to assess the security risks of various countries. That review led to the current list.
Here are the reasons the Trump administration says each country is facing restrictions:
<h3>Full Restrictions:</h3>
Afghanistan
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan lacks a reliable government to issue valid passports and civil documents and does not have adequate screening and vetting measures, according to the Trump administration. Furthermore, Afghanistan has a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of nearly 10% and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of nearly 30%.
Burma
Burma has extremely high visa overstay rates — over 27% for tourist/business visas (B1/B2) and more than 42% for student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visas. Burma has also refused to take back its citizens who are ordered to be deported from the U.S. The government added that Burma has “historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Chad
Chad has one of the worst visa overstay rates, with nearly 50% for business/tourist (B1/B2) visas and over 55% for student (F), vocational (M), and exchange (J) visas in 2023. In 2022, the B1/B2 overstay rate was also high at 37.12%. The U.S. says these numbers indicate “a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws.”
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo, which has been embroiled in conflict for more than 30 years, also has a visa overstay issue with a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of almost 30% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visas, overstay rate of about 35%.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, located in central Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) overstay rate of 21.98% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 70.18%.
Eritrea
The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea, and says it does not have access to criminal records for Eritrean nationals. The east African country has also historically refused to accept back its deported citizens. Its tourist/business (B1/B2) visa overstay rate is about 20% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate is about 55%.
Haiti
Currently overrun by murderous gangs, Haiti had hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens flood into the United States during the Biden administration. According to the Trump administration the “influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats.” Haiti also lacks “a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States.” Haiti had a tourist/business (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 31.38% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 25.05%.
Iran
Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism, routinely fails to cooperate with the United States government in identifying security risks and has historically failed to accept back its nationals eligible for deportation.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF RECOVERS BODIES OF TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN GAZA</a>
Libya
Libya lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents. The country’s historical terrorism presence amplifies the risk of Libyan nationals entering the United States.
Somalia
Somalia also lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents, does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures, and has historically refused to take back its nationals eligible for deportation. The Trump administration says Somalia differs from the other countries due to its government lacking command and control of its territory, “which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.” Somalia is also a “terrorist safe haven” where radicals travel to join terrorist groups that pose a threat to the United States.
Sudan
Sudan, located in northern Africa, lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and lacks appropriate screening and vetting measures. Sudan had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 26.30% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 28.40%.
Yemen
Yemen, which is currently overrun by the U.S.-designated terror group, the Houthis, lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-will-stop-airstrikes-on-houthis-after-terror-group-capitulated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombed the group for weeks</a> in an effort to restore global trade that the Iran-backed proxy disrupted.
<h3></h3>
<h3>Partial Restrictions:</h3>
Burundi
Burundi, located in eastern Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.35% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 17.52%.
Cuba
Cuba, a designated state sponsor of terrorism, does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States and has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-opens-hearing-on-chinese-surveillance-targeting-u-s-from-cuba?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=House+Opens+Hearing+On+Chinese+Surveillance+Targeting+U.S.+From+Cuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cuba</a> had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 7.69% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 18.75%.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-says-prepared-deal-with-greta-thunbergs-flotilla-en-route-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Says+It%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Prepared%E2%80%99+To+Deal+With+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Flotilla+En+Route+To+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF SAYS IT’S ‘PREPARED’ TO DEAL WITH GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA EN ROUTE TO GAZA</a>
Laos
Laos, located in southeast Asia, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 34.77% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 6.49%. Laos has also historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, located in western Africa, has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. It had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gazans-flood-the-streets-to-protest-hamas-as-idf-operations-intensify?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Gazans+Flood+The+Streets+To+Protest+Hamas+As+IDF+Operations+Intensify" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAZANS FLOOD THE STREETS TO PROTEST HAMAS AS IDF OPERATIONS INTENSIFY</a>
Togo
Togo, also located in western Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 19.03 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 35.05 percent.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 21.74 percent.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
Venezuela
Venezuela, a socialist-run country  known for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/venezuela-frees-u-s-air-force-veteran-in-bid-to-ease-tensions-with-united-states?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Venezuela+Frees+U.S.+Air+Force+Veteran+In+Bid+To+Ease+Tensions+With+United+States" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrongfully detaining</a> American citizens, has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. It also does not have a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and lacks appropriate screening and vetting measures. Venezuela had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 9.83 percent.

Donald Trump

Trump Travel Ban 2.0: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Afghanistan

Cuba

Haiti

Sudan

Venezuela

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the United States will halt its airstrike campaign “effective immediately” against the Houthis in Yemen after the terror group said they will stop attacking ships.
&#8220;They&#8217;ve said &#8216;please don&#8217;t bomb us anymore, and we&#8217;re not going to attack your ships,&#8217;” Trump said in the Oval Office.
Trump added that the terror group “capitulated” and that his administration will “take their word.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
REPORTER: Can you tell us a bit more about the deal that you&#8217;ve reached with the Houthis?<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;They&#8217;ve said &#8216;please don&#8217;t bomb us anymore and we&#8217;re not going to attack your ships.'&#8221;
REPORTER: And where did you hear about that?<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;A very good source&#8230; would you say,… <a href="https://t.co/FbSYvAmR6R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/FbSYvAmR6R</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919792536450674862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
“They just don&#8217;t want to fight anymore,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;We will honor that and we will stop the bombings.&#8221;
Trump declined to say where he heard the Houthis&#8217; message, but said he was given the news by a “very good source” last night.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi Political Council, said the terror group&#8217;s attacks &#8220;will not stop regardless of the consequences until the end of the aggression on Gaza and blockade on its people,&#8221;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-06/trump-says-houthis-to-end-ship-attacks-us-will-cease-bombing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg News </a><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-06/trump-says-houthis-to-end-ship-attacks-us-will-cease-bombing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Al-Bukhaiti reportedly suggested that the Houthis would be willing to stop attacking U.S. military ships if the airstrikes stop, &#8220;but we will definitely continue our operations in support to Gaza,&#8221; he insisted.
Trump said the purpose of the airstrikes was to stop the terror group, which has attacked more than 100 international cargo ships, tankers, and naval vessels following Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel. Since March, over 800 Houthi targets have been hit, resulting in the elimination of hundreds of fighters and leaders.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-visit-saudi-arabia-qatar-and-uae-in-first-middle-east-trip-this-term?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+To+Visit+Saudi+Arabia%2C+Qatar%2C+And+UAE+In+First+Middle+East+Trip+This+Term" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP TO VISIT SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, AND UAE IN FIRST MIDDLE EAST TRIP THIS TERM</a>
“They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore and that’s what the purpose of what we were doing,” the president said. “I think that is very positive. They were knocking out a lot of ships sailing beautifully down the various seas. It wasn’t just the [Suez] Canal, it was a lot of other places.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-re-designates-the-houthis-as-a-terrorist-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump re-designated</a> the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization upon taking office in January, reversing President Joe Biden’s earlier decision to remove them from the list.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the goal of getting the terrorist group to stop attacking ships was achieved, so the strikes will stop.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
&#8220;This was always a freedom of navigation issue,” Rubio said. “These are a band of individuals with advanced weaponry that were threatening global shipping, and the job was to get that to stop — and, if it&#8217;s going to stop, then we can stop.”
Earlier on Tuesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-bombs-yemens-capital-airport-fully-disabling-houthi-terrorist-base?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Israel+Bombs+Yemen%E2%80%99s+Capital+Airport%2C+%E2%80%98Fully+Disabling%E2%80%99+Houthi+Terrorist+Base" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an Israeli airstrike</a> left the main airport in Yemen’s capital, which serves as “a central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime,” fully disabled, according to the Israeli Defense Forces. Flight runways, aircraft, and airport infrastructure were struck in the attack.
The strike was part of a wider <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-coordinates-us-counterstrike-houthis-following-airport-attack?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Israel+Coordinates+With+United+States+To+Counterstrike+Houthis+Following+Airport+Attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-day attack</a> which also targeted civilian infrastructure that the Houthis have used for terror activity, including the Hudaydah Port, concrete plants, and several central power plants in the Sana’a area.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-world-stop-buying-iranian-oil-or-else?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+To+World%3A+Stop+Buying+Iranian+Oil+%E2%80%94+Or+Else" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP TO WORLD: STOP BUYING IRANIAN OIL — OR ELSE</a>
The IDF said the strike on Sana’a Airport was a direct response to a missile fired by the Houthis that landed near Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, injuring six people and temporarily halting flights. The IDF said the missile was not intercepted due to a technical malfunction, noting that its systems typically maintain a 95% success rate against missiles launched from Yemen.
<div id="attachment_916385" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-916385" class="size-large wp-image-916385" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-1024x536.png" alt="IDF map showing Houthi targets of air strike" width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-1024x536.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-300x157.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-768x402.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The IDF struck Houthi infrastructure in Yemen on Monday, May 5, including at the Hudaydah Port as well as the “Bajil” Concrete Plant. (IDF)</div>
Following the strike, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that the Iranian will “bear direct responsibility for any attack by the Houthi tentacle against the State of Israel.”
<div class="ad-wrapper" data-testid="ad-wrapper">In March, Trump declared that “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN.” He added that Iran would be held responsible and “suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire.”</div>
<div class="ad-wrapper" data-testid="ad-wrapper"></div>
<div class="ad-wrapper" data-testid="ad-wrapper">Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-will-pay-the-consequence-pete-hegseth-warns-iran-over-lethal-support-to-houthis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98You+Will+Pay+The+Consequence%E2%80%99%3A+Pete+Hegseth+Warns+Iran+Over+Lethal+Support+To+Houthis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> last week that Iran would “pay the consequence” for providing “lethal support” to the Houthis.</div>

Houthis and Trump photo illustration

Trump Says He Will Stop Airstrikes On Houthis After Terror Group ‘Capitulated’

Houthi

An Israeli airstrike left the main airport in Yemen&#8217;s capital, which serves as &#8220;a central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime,&#8221; fully disabled on Tuesday, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.
On Tuesday morning, the IDF <a href="https://x.com/IsraelArabic/status/1919718827119476993" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued a warning</a> in Arabic for all individuals to immediately evacuate Sanaa International Airport and its surrounding areas. About one hour later, IDF fighter jets struck the airport and other infrastructure in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, Yemen.
The retaliatory strike comes as Israel and the United States continue attacks on Houthi terrorists, who continually shot ballistic missiles at Israel and attacked more than 100 international cargo ships, tankers, and naval vessels following Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel.
The strike “dismantled Houthi terrorist infrastructure at the main airport in Sanaa fully disabling the airport,” according to the IDF. Flight runways, aircraft, and airport infrastructure were struck in the attack. According to the IDF, the airport “served as a central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons and operatives” and was used for “terrorist purposes.&#8221;
“This underscores the Houthi terrorist regime’s brutal exploitation of civilian infrastructure for terrorist activity,” the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF said the strike on Sanaa Airport was a direct response to a missile fired by the Houthis that landed near Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, injuring six people and temporarily halting flights. The IDF said the missile was not intercepted due to a technical malfunction, noting that its systems typically maintain a 95% success rate against missiles launched from Yemen.
“Over the past year and a half, the Houthi terrorist regime has been operating under Iranian direction and funding, in order to target the State of Israel and its allies, undermine regional stability, and disrupt global freedom of navigation,” the IDF said. “The IDF is determined to continue operating, at any distance, against all threats posed to the citizens of the State of Israel.”
Following the strike, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that the Iranian regime will &#8220;bear direct responsibility for any attack by the Houthi tentacle against the State of Israel.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-visit-saudi-arabia-qatar-and-uae-in-first-middle-east-trip-this-term?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+To+Visit+Saudi+Arabia%2C+Qatar%2C+And+UAE+In+First+Middle+East+Trip+This+Term" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP TO VISIT SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, AND UAE IN FIRST MIDDLE EAST TRIP THIS TERM</a>
The IDF also targeted Al Imran Concrete Plant north of Sanaa, which the IDF says the Houthis use to build underground tunnels and terror infrastructure, as well as several central power plants in the Sanaa area. According to the IDF, the Houthis exploit energy infrastructure for terrorist purposes.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-world-stop-buying-iranian-oil-or-else?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+To+World%3A+Stop+Buying+Iranian+Oil+%E2%80%94+Or+Else" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP TO WORLD: STOP BUYING IRANIAN OIL — OR ELSE</a>
“This strike further degrades the Houthi regime’s economic and military buildup capabilities,” the IDF said. “The strikes were carried out with prevision, and steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
The strikes were approved by the Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force and the IDF’s Chief of the General Staff.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-coordinates-us-counterstrike-houthis-following-airport-attack?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Israel+Coordinates+With+United+States+To+Counterstrike+Houthis+Following+Airport+Attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF also struck</a> Houthi infrastructure in Yemen on Monday, including the Hudaydah Port which it claims is used for the transfer of Iranian weapons and military equipment as well as the “Bajil” Concrete Plant, described by the IDF as a “significant economic resource for the Houthis” and is used for the construction of “underground tunnels and terrorist infrastructure for the terrorist regime.”
<div id="attachment_916385" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-916385" class="size-large wp-image-916385" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-1024x536.png" alt="IDF map showing Houthi targets of air strike " width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-1024x536.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-300x157.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2-768x402.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cover-images-1200-x-628-px-2.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The IDF struck Houthi infrastructure in Yemen on Monday, May 5, including at the Hudaydah Port as well as the “Bajil” Concrete Plant. (IDF)</div>
During Monday’s strike, around 20 Israeli Air Force fighter jets dropped 50 munitions on dozens of Houthi targets. The strike, which was coordinated with the United States, marked Israel’s sixth airstrike on the group since July 2024 in response to over 400 attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis during the war. It was the first such strike since President Donald Trump took office.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
In March, Trump declared that “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN.” He added that Iran would be held responsible and “suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire.” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-will-pay-the-consequence-pete-hegseth-warns-iran-over-lethal-support-to-houthis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98You+Will+Pay+The+Consequence%E2%80%99%3A+Pete+Hegseth+Warns+Iran+Over+Lethal+Support+To+Houthis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> last week that Iran would “pay the consequence” for providing “lethal support” to the Houthis.
The United States has been conducting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-troops-to-middle-east-to-counter-houthi-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weeks of airstrikes</a> on the Houthis in response to the group&#8217;s more than 100 attacks on international cargo ships, tankers, and naval vessels following Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel. Since March, over 800 Houthi targets have been hit, resulting in the elimination of hundreds of fighters and leaders, and Houthi ballistic missile launches and suicide drone attacks are down 69% and 55% respectively, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-strikes-kill-hundreds-houthi-fighters-hit-over-800-red-sea-targets-central-command" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News reported</a>.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Air Force

Israel Bombs Yemen’s Capital Airport, ‘Fully Disabling’ Houthi Terrorist Base

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

The &#8220;case has been closed&#8221; at the White House after the high-profile leak of a Signal group chat in which leading Trump administration officials discussed plans for airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday.
Leavitt also indicated that National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has taken responsibility for the breach, will stay on the job.
&#8220;As the president has made it very clear — Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team and this case has been closed here at the White House as far as we are concerned,&#8221; Leavitt <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXWhrp20VKg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on the Signal group chat:
&quot;As the president has made it very clear &#8212; Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team. This case has been closed here at the White House.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/Hz9Ow3YTEj">pic.twitter.com/Hz9Ow3YTEj</a>
&mdash; The American Conservative (@amconmag) <a href="https://twitter.com/amconmag/status/1906766213209878693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Since The Atlantic&#8217;s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke</a> the news last week that he was added to the Signal chat and revealed its contents, some have called for Waltz to resign or be fired. Waltz <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg12ewv7xyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News that he took &#8220;full responsibility&#8221; for the breach in which Goldberg was added to the chat because he built the Signal group. President Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1904615849450971537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">informed</a> reporters that Waltz was a &#8220;good man&#8221; and &#8220;would continue to do a good job.&#8221;
The controversy that stemmed from the breach, which has become known as &#8220;Signalgate,&#8221; has embroiled other top members of the Trump administration who took part in the thread. One of those officials, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has also faced calls to resign over the information he shared in the conversation. Some lawmakers have <a href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/press-releases/chairman-wicker-ranking-member-reed-request-inspector-general-probe-into-signal-incident" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> for an investigation by the Pentagon&#8217;s inspector general. Hegseth has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-fires-back-at-the-media-over-signalgate-reporting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his &#8220;job&#8221; was to &#8220;provide updates in real-time, general updates in real-time, keep everybody informed.&#8221;
In a post on X last week, Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1904512527699968437" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that no classified material was included in the thread and warned that Goldberg &#8220;is well-known for his sensationalist spin.&#8221; She also rejected Goldberg&#8217;s characterization that &#8220;war plans&#8221; were discussed, affirmed that the National Security Council was &#8220;looking into how Goldberg&#8217;s number was inadvertently added to the thread,&#8221; and noted that the White House Counsel&#8217;s Office had provided guidance on communications across different platforms.
On Monday, Leavitt said there have been &#8220;steps made to ensure that something like that can obviously never happen again and we&#8217;re moving forward and the president and Mike Waltz and his entire National Security team have been working together very well if you look at how much safer the United States of America is because of the leadership of this team.&#8221;

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz

‘This Case Has Been Closed’: White House Shuts Book On Signalgate, Stands By Mike Waltz

White House: Signalgate 'Case Has Been Closed,' Stands By Mike Waltz

Executive

Karoline Leavitt

Mike Waltz

National Security

Politics

Scandals

White House

The United States launched airstrikes against Yemeni cities controlled by Iran-backed Houthi militants over the weekend in a renewed effort to beat down the terror group.
The strikes began on Friday and ran into Saturday. The Houthi-run SABA news agency said bombs killed at least one civilian and wounded four others, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/29/world-news/us-airstrikes-pound-houthi-controlled-yemen-cities-killing-1-reports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. Houthi soldiers often dress in civilian clothing and the group is known for undercounting its casualty numbers.
The United States has yet to confirm the strike. Houthi-run media reported that bombs struck the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as targets in the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, all areas under Houthi control, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-b46abf73435b3c340b7fba3d0fff877f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.
The strikes came a day after the United States escalated its retaliation against the Houthis by hitting their general command headquarters. The U.S. military released a video of the strike on Friday.
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CENTCOM Forces Attack Houthi Positions&#8230;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/6pOZhOmTp6">pic.twitter.com/6pOZhOmTp6</a>
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1905716545667617196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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U.S. airstrikes have increasingly pummeled the Houthis in recent weeks in an effort to deter the terror group from striking Israel or commercial ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on the terror group, expanding targets from the missile launch sites hit under former President Joe Biden to include top Houthi commanders and key military sites.
The Houthis have threatened commercial shipping and launched attacks on Israel in solidarity with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza. The increased military action against the Houthis from the United States has yet to stop the terror group.
On Thursday, Israeli missile defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis. On Sunday morning, Israeli defenses again intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile, the eighth such missile fired from the Houthis at the Jewish state since March 18, the day Israel’s military renewed operations against Hamas in Gaza after ceasefire negotiations fell apart.
The Houthis as recently as Thursday have also launched attacks against the USS Harry S. Truman, an aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea. The terror group has targeted over 100 commercial ships sailing near Yemen since November 2023.

USS Harry S. Truman

U.S. Pummels Houthi-Controlled Cities In Yemen In Latest Wave Of Airstrikes: Report

United States

Sen. James Lankford (R-LA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday that he does not believe there is an &#8220;issue of leadership&#8221; with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the leak of a Signal group chat in which Trump administration officials discussed plans for airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
During an interview on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; anchor Dana Bash asked Lankford if Hegseth should take responsibility after noting that the defense secretary &#8220;shared the specific information about the timing and aircraft being used&#8221; in the Signal chat.
&#8220;I think he just joined into an encrypted app,&#8221; Lankford said, adding that he did not &#8220;see it as much of an issue&#8221; because &#8220;they all believed that this was a closed circle of conversation&#8221; and Hegseth was trying to give them &#8220;a heads up&#8221; of the attack plan &#8220;as we had given a heads-up to our foreign partners overseas as well.&#8221;
The White House has <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1904512527699968437" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who publicized the contents of the conversation, was &#8220;inadvertently added&#8221; to the Signal chat and the breach would be investigated by the National Security Council.
In response to the Signal controversy, Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-fires-back-at-the-media-over-signalgate-reporting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his &#8220;job&#8221; was to &#8220;provide updates in real time, general updates in real time, keep everybody informed.&#8221; Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg12ewv7xyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken</a> &#8220;full responsibility&#8221; for the leak, noting that he built the Signal group.
Lankford said the Signal app was being used for &#8220;normal communication&#8221; and what was &#8220;not normal&#8221; was having a reporter &#8220;in the middle of the&#8221; conversation.
When Bash pressed Lankford on whether he had any doubts about Hegseth&#8217;s leadership, the senator <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1906336511341064491" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, &#8220;No, I don&#8217;t see this as an issue of leadership.&#8221;
Lankford, who had earlier said an inspector general inquiry into the leak would be appropriate, went on to say that people calling for Hegseth for Hegseth to resign was &#8220;way overkill.&#8221;
Hegseth &#8220;is stepping in and has actually led a very successful first attack here on somebody that had attacked the United States over and over again,&#8221; Lankford said. &#8220;During the Biden administration, they had very limited response. Pete Hegseth has actually organized and coordinated an initial response to pushback and make them stop.&#8221;
Lankford also <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1906334416953114725" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>: &#8220;The story behind the story here is that Houthis have attacked American ships 170-some-odd times. So, for the Trump administration to push back on them is an entirely appropriate thing to be able to do. And they are pushing back on them strong to be able to stop their attack on American warships.&#8221;

Pete Hegseth

No ‘Issue Of Leadership’ With Hegseth After Signal Leak: Senate Intel Republican

Congress

James Lankford

U.S.

U.S. Senate

Satellite images have emerged showing a massive staging of B-2 Spirit heavy stealth bombers in the Indian Ocean that have been moved within range of being able to bomb the Houthis in Yemen and nuclear facilities in Iran.
The bombers arrived at the Diego Garcia base this week after taking off from their base in Missouri.
Images showed at least three B-2 bombers on the tarmac alongside multiple C-17A Globemaster III cargo planes, which would be used to transport munitions and other equipment to support a strategic bombing campaign.
However, there may be an additional four B-2 bombers at the base that cannot be seen by satellite because they could be in the four hardened aircraft shelters at the base.
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A U.S. official told Axios that the deployment of B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean is &quot;not disconnected&quot; from President Trump&#39;s two-month deadline for Iran, signaling this is preparation of a military contingency plan should diplomatic efforts fail. <a href="https://t.co/ksZfLwS5Gg">pic.twitter.com/ksZfLwS5Gg</a>
&mdash; GMI (@Global_Mil_Info) <a href="https://twitter.com/Global_Mil_Info/status/1905363355549728905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A fourth B-2 bomber was en route to the base earlier this week when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Hawaii and there were reports that additional B-2 bombers were preparing to take off from Missouri en route to the base.
Seven B-2 bombers represents more than one-third of America&#8217;s fleet of the bombers, all of which are based out of Missouri.
John Hannah, who served as a national security adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney, told The Wall Street Journal that the amassing of the bombers was an &#8220;unprecedented concentration&#8221; of firepower.
“This unprecedented concentration of overwhelming U.S. firepower in close proximity to the region is intended to signal to the Houthis that…unless they stand down immediately, things are about to get much, much worse for them,” he said.
Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and the director of its Keystone Defense Initiative, agreed.
&#8220;Iran is vulnerable and outmatched. It’s not even close,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire. &#8220;If the president of the United States is serious about ensuring Iran never gets a nuclear weapon on his watch, there will not be a better time for him to guarantee that.&#8221;
President Donald Trump and his national security team have made it abundantly clear to Iran that they will not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and that they have less than two months to enter a nuclear agreement or else the United States military will remove their program for them.
Top Trump senior adviser Dan Scavino posted a video on X this week showing B-2 bombers flying after news surfaced that they were being deployed to the base.
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B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber🔥 <a href="https://t.co/cw5SRsNSAQ">pic.twitter.com/cw5SRsNSAQ</a>
&mdash; Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanScavino/status/1904710834527363553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The B-2 bomber is the only aircraft in the world capable of carrying the the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound bunker buster that is designed to penetrate 200-feet of rock and concrete underground before it detonates a 6,000-pound high explosive warhead. The MOP is the most powerful non-nuclear bunker buster bomb ever built.
The munition could be critical to operations in Yemen where the Houthis have deep, underground munition sites.
In Iran, some of the Islamic regime&#8217;s nuclear facilities are located under the side of a mountain — thus ensuring that the MOP would be needed to destroy them.

Future 30,000-pound bomb reaches mile stone

Trump Stages ‘Unprecedented Concentration Of Overwhelming U.S. Firepower’ At Base Near Mideast

Iran Nuclear

Military

On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he did not believe anyone should lose their job in response to a controversy regarding a journalist &#8220;inadvertently added&#8221; to a Signal group chat in which Trump administration officials discussed plans for airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
While some Democrats have called for <a href="https://x.com/MarkWarner/status/1904535761304576311" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resignations</a>, Johnson emphasized how the White House <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1904512527699968437" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> no &#8220;war plans&#8221; were discussed in the conversation, which was how Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg characterized the Signal thread to which he was included. Johnson also pointed out the White House denied that classified materials were sent to the thread and is looking into how the number was &#8220;inadvertently added&#8221; to the chat.
&#8220;Obviously that was a mistake and a serious one, but I just want to say: thanks to President Trump and his strong leadership and &#8230; everybody on that group chat — the leaders on that group chat — are extraordinary people,&#8221; Johnson said during a House GOP leadership press conference on Capitol Hill.
&#8220;I know them all personally. They&#8217;re patriots, they&#8217;re doing a great job for the country, and that was a successful mission,&#8221; the speaker added. &#8220;I mean, we&#8217;re taking out Houthi terrorists. That&#8217;s what the American people expect the administration to do — to restore peace through strength and to act decisively.&#8221;
The Signal thread had a number of top officials from President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Johnson, a Trump ally, dismissed the notion that he would have responded more harshly if such a breach had happened to the previous administration under former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;Look, they&#8217;ve acknowledged that there was an error, and they&#8217;re correcting it, and I would have asked the same thing of the Biden administration,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think anyone should have lost their job over that — because an errant number, you know, found its way onto a dialogue between leaders. It&#8217;s a mistake, but we got to correct it going forward and they will.&#8221;
Johnson declined to get into whether he believed the use of Signal to discuss national security matters was appropriate.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t use Signal. &#8230; I don&#8217;t know all the parameters of it, so it&#8217;s not my — I&#8217;m not in a position to determine whether 
that&#8217;s appropriate or not,&#8221; Johnson explained. &#8220;You have to leave that to others but I would just say obviously we got to be careful with these things and I know that they will.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-stands-national-security-adviser-leaked-military-plans-saying-mi-rcna197944" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News that one of Waltz&#8217;s staffers put Goldberg in the Signal chat. Yet he defended his national security adviser, saying, &#8220;Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.&#8221;
Johnson also vouched for Waltz and noted that they were former colleagues in the House. He also said Waltz &#8220;was born for the job. He is highly qualified&#8221; and stressed that &#8220;the president said he has total confidence in him, and we do as well.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> on Signal group chat: &quot;They&#39;ve acknowledged that it was an error and they&#39;re correcting it&#8230;I don&#39;t think anyone should have lost their job over that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/afOPw8XPTr">pic.twitter.com/afOPw8XPTr</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904579992203203034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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