American-based Advocacy Groups Condemn US Airstrikes on Yemen as ‘Unconstitutional’

Renewed US air strikes on Yemen since 15 March are “unconstitutional,” as acts of war require congressional approval, which President Donald Trump’s administration did not obtain, political advocacy groups said Thursday. Dawn, Action Corps, and Just Foreign Policy called on Congress to halt the strikes, citing Article I of the Constitution and the 1973 War Powers Resolution. They also pointed to UN Charter provisions that prohibit military action unless in self-defense or authorized by the UN Security Council.

The groups argue that bombing Yemen does not serve US interests. “From November 2023 to January 2025, the Houthis attacked over 100 merchant vessels, sank two, and killed four sailors. The Biden administration conducted airstrikes without congressional approval, and now Trump has escalated the war,” their statement read.

Jamal Amer, Ansarallah’s foreign minister, recently told PBS Newshour, “When the siege on Gaza ends, the tension in the Red Sea will end.” Critics say the strikes are not defensive, as Ansarallah did not attack US assets before being bombed.

Thomas Juneau, a Middle East expert at the University of Ottawa, noted that Trump previously opposed wars in the region but has now intensified US involvement in Yemen. Analysts say Biden’s strikes were more “surgical,” while Trump’s have led to higher civilian casualties. According to Yemen’s health ministry, at least 53 people, mostly women and children, have died, with over 100 wounded.

Shireen al-Adeimi, a fellow at the Quincy Institute, said, “Washington is attacking a sovereign country without legal justification.” The War Powers Resolution allows Congress to withdraw troops from unauthorized conflicts, a power last invoked in 2019 against US support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Trump vetoed that resolution.

Despite White House denials, leaked messages suggest US forces are actively targeting Yemen. Meanwhile, US Central Command regularly posts videos of airstrikes, including one on the day a Yemeni cancer center was bombed, captioned, “Give ’em Hell Harry! #HouthisAreTerrorists.” Critics argue that Trump is continuing the cycle of illegal US military actions in the Middle East.

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