Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has issued a stern warning to the United States following its recent airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, vowing to target American naval assets in the Red Sea if the U.S. continues to support Israel militarily against Iran.
The threat was delivered just hours after the U.S. launched coordinated strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites on June 21.
The airstrikes, ordered by former President Donald Trump, marked a major escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
“If America helps Israel attack Iran, we will hit U.S. ships in the Red Sea,” the Houthi statement read, signaling a potential widening of the conflict beyond the immediate region.
The Iran-aligned Houthis, known for their use of missiles and drones, have previously targeted international vessels in the Red Sea, a critical global shipping route. The latest threat raises concerns about the stability of maritime trade and regional security.
The warning also casts a shadow over the fragile peace arrangement brokered earlier this year between the U.S. and the Houthis, following months of backchannel negotiations aimed at de-escalating tensions in Yemen.
Analysts fear that any further American military involvement could not only jeopardize that agreement but also ignite a broader regional conflict involving Iran-backed militias across the Middle East.
U.S. defense officials have not yet responded to the Houthi statement, but naval forces in the region are reportedly on high alert.