Bravo: Trump Takes the Gloves Off Against Terrorists

In case you missed it late last week and over the weekend, the Trump administration launched strikes against two separate terrorist organizations in the Middle East. The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting Americans and disrupting international shipping for years. Team Biden hit back occasionally, but in very limited and weak ways, while playing unserious games with the Houthis' designation as an American-categorized terror group. After Trump and crew assumed power, they quite rightly slapped a full, renewed terrorist designation on the Houthis, who've richly earned it. That move has now been fortified with significant military action. And it's about damn time:

Finally. This is why we have a federal government, and that Biden ignored it for so long was inexplicable. https://t.co/XwPhR3XxYV
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) March 15, 2025

"Godspeed to our warriors. Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice. Freedom of Navigation will be restored.America—under President Donald Trump—will NEVER back down," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media Saturday afternoon. This is a no-brainer use of American military might, long overdue after so many attacks and provocations, which should have been intolerable to the United States of America, as well as the international community. A welcome, if belated, sight:

CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue... pic.twitter.com/DYvc3gREN8
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025

CENTCOM Forces Launch Large Scale Operation Against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen

On March 15, U.S. Central Command initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and… pic.twitter.com/u5yx8WneoG
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025

The Houthis -- whose official motto features the phrase "death to America" -- have made counter-threats, which will likely end poorly for them. Hegseth said in a television interview yesterday that the Houthis can cease their terrorism, or continue to pay a steep price:

.@SecDef: “An era of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH is back — 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 un-relenting.” 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4nJP0kqhhJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 16, 2025

And the price has, indeed, already been steep:

Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz says U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen last night included “killing several of their key leaders.” @FoxNewsSunday
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 16, 2025

And it's not just the Houthis. As Sarah relayed on Friday, a top ISIS leader was just taken out in a strike. He went from being a wanted fugitive on the run to blasting to bits, in an instant:

Well done @CENTCOM. Always on target. https://t.co/6IsJigajSw
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) March 15, 2025

This is why the remaining leaders of Hamas, who continue to defy Trump's ultimatums and warnings, shouldn't sleep well for the rest of their evil existences. Adam Boehler may have gotten himself sidelined and withdrawn his nomination as Trump's hostage envoy, after some rough interviews last week, but he did say one thing that has proven true about the president's approach to those who pose threats to the United States: "It may seem like he makes empty threats -- until he carries out the threat. And then it's not so empty. And then you're dead." Boehler said that last weekend. Within a week, additional terrorist leaders reached the 'and then you're dead' stage. On the subject of dead arch-terrorists, I'll leave you with this footage of a pro-terrorism rally against the deportation of a pro-terrorist guest in our country:

Note the giant photo of the (recently liquidated) terrorist leader of Hezbollah, which is formally designated as a terrorist organization by the US government, having murdered Americans. https://t.co/JHLAgJUZ2D
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 15, 2025

They're waving foreign flags, setting off smoke bombs, and cheering a portrait of Nasrallah (who the Israelis killed last year). For those who aren't US citizens, these crowds may offer additional deportation targets for the Trump administration, which is busy booting terrorism supporters out of our homeland, while bombing terrorists abroad.