Topline
President Donald Trump escalated his threats against Iran on Monday, days after ordering attacks on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, directly linking the group to Tehran and warning any retaliation from the rebel group “will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.”
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press about the conflict in Ukraine before boarding Air … [+]
Key Facts
Trump, writing on Truth Social, said “every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leaders of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!”
The statement comes after Trump on Saturday ordered air and naval strikes against the Houthis in Yemen in retaliation for the Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea, marking the most significant military action of his second term and killing at least 53 people and injuring 98 others, ABC reported, citing the Ministry of Health in Sana’a, Yemen.
The Houthis vowed to “respond to escalation with escalation,” according to Reuters, while Iranian Gen. Hossein Salami on Sunday denied Iran supports the rebel group and promised a “decisive and devastating response to any threat.”
Trump alleged Monday Iran is “dictating every move” by the Houthis, “giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called ‘intelligence.’”
Who Are The Houthis?
The Houthis are a Shiite rebel group that formed in the 1990s and have been fighting Yemen’s government for decades, taking control of its capital, Sana’a, in 2014. The Houthis and Iran both have separate disputes with Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s government, while Iran and Saudi Arabia are rivals in their quest for political influence in the Middle East. The Houthis do not have the capabilities to build out their army without outside influence and have been aided by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraq, according to a September report by United Nations sanctions monitors. Trump’s previous administration and the Biden administration both maintained they had reason to believe Iran was a key benefactor to the Houthis, though Trump’s statements Monday mark a notably more decisive tone about Iran’s role in the rebel group.
Key Background
The Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea in 2023 in a move the group said was in solidarity with Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war. While the group initially said it would target Israeli-linked ships, vessels with ties to the U.S. and the United Kingdom have also come under attack. The strikes Trump ordered Saturday came, in part, from the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, military officials said, and could continue for weeks, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed U.S. official. The Houthis vowed to retaliate, in a statement that said the group “will not hesitate to target all American warships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea in response to the aggression against our country,” ABC News reported.
Crucial Quote
“All options are always on the table with the president, but Iran needs to hear him loud and clear,” National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told ABC on Sunday when asked about Trump’s letter sent earlier this month to Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking to restart negotiations to end Iran’s nuclear program. Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday Iran was working on a response to Trump’s letter, accusing the U.S. of defying “etiquette” in diplomatic negotiations and using “the possibility of negotiations as a propaganda and political tool.”
Big Number
174. That’s the number of attacks the Houthis have launched against U.S. warships since 2023, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed Pentagon spokesperson.
Tangent
The Houthis claimed Sunday they retaliated with ballistic and cruise missiles and a drone attack against the Harry S. Truman, though an unnamed U.S. official denied the retaliatory attack in a statement to ABC.
Further Reading
Trump Orders Military Strikes Against Houthis In Yemen And Threatens Iran (Forbes)
Who Are The Houthis? Yemen Group Behind Red Sea Attacks Are Hamas Allies (Forbes)
