Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Yemen’s Houthi movement and Iran of a “severe military punishment” if attacks on commercial shipping continue, holding Tehran responsible for any future operations carried out by the group.
The warning came in a post published on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, following the Houthis’ announcement that they had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday night.
Trump said the US launched major strikes against the Houthis a year ago in response to their attacks on ships and disruption of international trade.
He added that the group had “acted very responsibly” since then, particularly during the military confrontation between the US and Iran.
However, Trump expressed disappointment over what he described as the Houthis’ return to attacking shipping, writing:
“Unfortunately, they have started again, and they fired on two Saudi ships last night.”
He warned that if such attacks are repeated, the US “will hold Iran responsible,” describing the Houthis as “an instrument or proxy” of Tehran in the region.
Trump added:
“Severe military punishment will be imposed on Iran, and of course on the Houthis themselves.”
He also said he was “very disappointed” with the Houthis, stating that they had been acting, in his words, “professionally and intelligently” in recent months.
Earlier on Thursday, the Houthi movement announced that it had attacked the Saudi oil tankers ENCELIA and LAYLIA in the Red Sea using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
The group said the attack was carried out because the two tankers had allegedly violated a maritime blockade it claims to have imposed on vessels bound for Saudi ports.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) confirmed that a fire broke out at the bow of the tanker ENCELIA following an attack, adding that all crew members were safe and that the situation had been brought under control. The agency did not confirm that the second tanker had been attacked.
