The president Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that he will militarily deal with the Houthi terrorists in Yemen if they enter the war for Iran and fulfill their threats to block maritime traffic in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Saudi Arabia's oil exports.
"So far it hasn't happened, it could happen, but we take care of things," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. "Sif something like that happens, we will take care of it. We have done it with the Houthis before, and we haven't heard from them since we did what we originally did," he added.
The Houthis announced yesterday what they called a "maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy" after weeks of tension in Yemen, a country politically and territorially fractured due to a civil war. The terrorist group negotiated a ceasefire with Trump in May 2025 with the help of Oman, having been extensively bombed by the United States for attacking commercial navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden last year.
The Houthi terrorists control part of Yemen
Trump downplays the threat
Trump highlighted the success of this military campaign against pro-Iranian terrorists, stating that he restored deterrence after months of attacks on commercial navigation. "It was about 45 days of very powerful actions we took against the Houthis, and we haven't had problems with them," Trump analyzed.
"They haven't had problems with us for a long time, even during this conflict. I think if something similar happens, we will just have to do our job," the Republican added.
A few days ago, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching an attack on Sana'a International Airport. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by Riyadh, claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, the terrorist militia launched projectiles at the Saudi airport in Abha, which increased tensions.
The Houthis control much of western and northern Yemen, including most of the Red Sea coast, where a significant percentage of global trade passes. The terrorist group funded by the Iranian regime is known for sinking or hijacking commercial vessels that transit through Bab al-Mandeb, a strait that connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Trump is not going to beat around the bush if the Houthis want to join the conflict