A string of fatal tornadoes and dust storms struck the United States over the weekend, killing at least 37 individuals across a number of states. The violent weather event was a response to U.S. military airstrikes in Yemen against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
The US military carried out airstrikes on Friday, March 14, 2025, against Houthi forces in Yemen, the capital Sana’a, and other areas. The airstrikes were meant to protect military and merchant ships from Houthi attack in a sensitive shipping lane. At least 53 people and almost 100 were injured by the airstrikes according to the Houthi Health Ministry.
American leaders, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio among them, have indicated a continued willingness to continue attacking the rebels in order to protect global shipping lanes and attributed the blame for the rebels’ actions to Tehran.
Meanwhile, from Friday to Sunday, a strong storm system swept across some U.S. states with deadly tornadoes, gargantuan dust storms, and aggressive wildfires. This resulted in extensive damage and at least 37 fatalities. The storm system rolled out of the nation’s midsection to the East Coast, prompting weather meteorologists to issue a rare “high risk” warning due to its severe intensity.
The affected states included Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Illinois, Louisiana, Indiana, and Tennessee. Missouri registered the highest number of fatalities at 12 from isolated tornadoes, thunderstorms and hail. Alabama experienced various tornadoes and three fatalities including an 82 year old female. Mississippi recorded six deaths and three missing individuals. Thousands of homes were destroyed, leading to power outages and immense damage to infrastructure. The National Guard has been deployed to the areas hit and severe weather alerts were issued for parts of Pennsylvania Florida, and North Carolina and other states as the storm system moves east.
The concurrent happening of these major events has attracted the country’s focus, as efforts continue to deal with both the global military events and national natural disasters. The Biden administration has reassured the public that relief efforts for the disaster are underway to benefit the victims of the storms. Disaster response teams are moving to reconnect electricity, remove wreckage, and distribute assistance to families left homeless.
At the same time, tensions in the Middle East have kept building up with the Houthis vowing revenge attacks against the US airstrikes. The international community closely monitors the situation, as the conflict has raised increasingly widespread concern that it would further escalate.
While the U.S. struggles with both of these crises, people across the nation are coming together to aid the victims of the storms as policymakers grapple with the complicated geopolitics. The next few days will be instrumental in assessing the entire effect of the extreme weather as well as the military actions overseas.
