According to reports on the 21st, during a White House meeting with Lebanese President Aoun on Tuesday, President Trump stated that the U.S. would take action if Yemen’s Houthi rebels block the Red Sea.
When asked about the possibility of the Houthis blocking the Red Sea, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “I think if something like that really happens, we just have to deal with it.”
He then added that recently “we have had no problems with the Houthis,” and “for a long time, they have had no issues with us either, including during this conflict.”
As the U.S.-Iran conflict continues, tensions between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia have suddenly escalated. Last Monday (July 13), the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching an airstrike on Sanaa International Airport, claiming the action was aimed at preventing an Iranian plane from landing. In retaliation, they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia.
A Houthi statement declared that Saudi Arabia should fully realize that the years-long blockade on Yemen “has come to an end.” The statement warned that any related actions taken by Saudi Arabia would be seen as “the last bullet fired at the process of de-escalation and ceasefire.”
A large public rally was held on July 17 in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital under Houthi control. Participants voiced opposition to the blockade and intervention in Yemen, as well as U.S. military actions in the region. The Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, remains based in Aden in the south.
On July 20, the Houthis announced an immediate “maritime embargo” on Saudi Arabia, warning that ships trading with Saudi ports could face military strikes.
The Saudi-led coalition later stated that it had taken measures to ensure the safe passage of member states’ ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and would respond decisively to any Houthi threats.