US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran on Thursday following new Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabian commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump explicitly held Iran responsible for the maritime assaults executed by its proxy forces in Yemen. The statement followed Houthi claims of launching drone and missile strikes against two Saudi crude oil tankers, ending a period of relative restraint by the Yemeni group during the wider US war with Iran.
The president expressed frustration over the sudden escalation by the Yemeni group, noting that they had previously avoided direct involvement in the ongoing regional war. "A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships," Trump stated. "Since that time, and during our war with Iran, they have acted very responsibly," he added, emphasizing his disappointment at their sudden return to targeting merchant shipping.
According to maritime intelligence reports verified by Reuters, the Houthis targeted two Saudi-linked oil tankers, identified as the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea overnight. The Saudi Press Agency confirmed that one vessel suffered a fire at its bow following a strike off the coast, though all crew members were reported safe. The Yemeni group claimed the strikes were executed to enforce a naval blockade previously declared against Saudi ports and shipping lanes through the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
Trump made it clear that Washington views the Houthis as an active proxy of the Iranian regime and will respond forcefully to any further disruptions. "Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran," Trump wrote. He cautioned that "major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the administration's stance during a briefing in the Philippines, warning the group against being drawn further into Iran's strategic maneuvers. Rubio stated that the Houthis were making a grave error by targeting international shipping channels and aiding Tehran. "I hope that they'll stop," Rubio noted, adding that the group had "got suckered into this by the Iranians" after previously acting smart by staying out of the primary theater of war.
The renewed attacks on Red Sea shipping routes coincide with rising energy prices and mounting international concern over maritime transit safety. Analysts at maritime monitoring agency Kpler reported that several Saudi crude tankers had already rerouted away from the area to avoid potential strikes. As military tensions mount across the Middle East, US officials maintain that direct retaliation against both Iranian and Houthi targets remains fully on the table if commercial shipping continues to face armed aggression.
