Houthi threats against Red Sea shipping intensify tensions between Washington, Tehran, and Riyadh.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States is prepared to respond if Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels follow through on their threat to impose a naval blockade in the Red Sea.
“It hasn’t happened yet. It could happen, but we’ll take care of it,” the president told reporters during a meeting at the White House with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun.
The comments came after Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea announced an immediate blockade targeting ships linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
Such a move would significantly escalate regional tensions and could open a new front in the U.S. war against Iran, which has already contributed to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments.
Trump highlighted previous U.S. military operations against the Houthis, saying the campaign had effectively curbed the group’s activities.
“We carried out about 45 days of very forceful actions against the Houthis, and we haven’t had any problems with them,” the President said.
Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, condemned the Houthi rebel’s announcement on Monday and pledged to take “all necessary measures” to protect its vessels.
This escalation marks the most serious direct confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since the two sides entered a UN-backed reconciliation process in 2022, which sharply reduced cross-border hostilities although a comprehensive peace agreement has never been reached.
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks, after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of tightening restrictions in territories under their control and holding Riyadh responsible for airstrikes that damaged the runways at Sanaa International Airport last week, preventing an Iranian aircraft from landing.
