The comments came after the Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
By Catholics for Catholics
President Donald Trump said it would hold Iran responsible for rekindled attacks by the Houthis, with war in the Middle East worsening after the collapse of a ceasefire earlier this month.
In a Thursday Truth Social post that came after the Yemen-based militant group took credit for attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, Trump augured severe consequences for Tehran if the Houthis kept on the offensive.
Trump said the Houthis had “acted very responsibly” during the current conflict with Iran but warned that if they struck again, “the U.S. will hold Iran responsible” because the Houthis are a “Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran.”
Bridget Toomey, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, said the latest skirmishes were driven by Saudi concerns that Iran and the Houthis were attempting to install a dangerous new status quo by opening a direct air link between Tehran and Houthi-controlled Sanaa.
Toomey said the Houthis have a unique position within Iran’s regional network because of where they are located.
“They’re crucial to Iran’s broader ability to expand the conflict,” she said. “Iraqi militias or Hezbollah don’t sit on a maritime choke point.”
🚨 NOW: President Trump announces he will be blowing up the Iran-backed HOUTHIS if they harm another ship
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 23, 2026
FAFO IS WAITING.
"They are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night. Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S.… pic.twitter.com/8gmmQgjEBZ
The Houthi attack left the Saudi tanker Encelia, which was carrying about 732,000 barrels of crude oil, pouring into the Red Sea as Saudi authorities sent tugboats and searched for emergency response vessels.
On Tuesday, Trump told reporters the United States would “take care of things” if the Houthis tried to blockade Saudi shipping. The militant group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia Monday.
Trump’s escalating warnings come after Axios reported Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought and received Trump’s approval before launching strikes on Houthi targets, including Sanaa International Airport.
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