In a bold and decisive move, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, holding it accountable for any future attacks carried out by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
His statement, made on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, has further escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran amid the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Trump directly linked the Houthis’ actions to Iran, calling them “sinister mobsters and thugs” while emphasizing that their attacks “emanate from, and are created by IRAN.”
He warned that any further aggression by the Houthis would be met with “great force,” adding that there was “no guarantee that that force will stop there.”
The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have been conducting attacks on Israeli-linked vessels and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Their actions are reportedly in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza and the blockade on humanitarian aid.
Western military experts have long believed that Iran provides arms and logistical support to the Houthis, aligning them with Tehran’s “axis of resistance” against the West.
Trump’s latest remarks indicate a shift from solely targeting the Houthis to directly confronting Iran.
He asserted, “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!”
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has intensified its operations against the Houthis.
Between Saturday and Sunday, an estimated 47 aerial strikes were carried out across seven Yemeni provinces, including the capital, Sanaa, which is under Houthi control.
Reports indicate that at least 53 people were killed in the strikes.
Trump defended the attacks, reiterating his stance against Iranian support for the Houthis.
“To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes,” he declared.
He further warned, “If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!”
The latest escalation comes amid renewed tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump has consistently pushed for Iran to denuclearize, despite withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018.
Earlier this month, he sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that military action could be taken if a nuclear deal was not reached.
However, Khamenei dismissed Trump’s overture, calling it an act of “bullying” and pointing to the U.S.’s withdrawal from the previous agreement as proof of its unreliability.
Iran, on its part, has maintained that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and has denied any pursuit of nuclear weapons.
However, Trump’s threats and whether diplomatic solutions can still be explored to prevent further conflict.
