Former President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and warned of severe repercussions.
Taking to his Truth Social platform on Monday morning, Trump wrote:
“Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN.”
Trump accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with military equipment, money, and intelligence, adding:
“Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!”
US Strikes Target Houthi Fighters
Trump’s statement came just two days after the United States launched air and naval strikes on multiple Houthi-controlled targets in response to attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.
The strikes, which began on Saturday, have killed at least 31 people and injured over 100 others, according to reports. The US military campaign is expected to continue for several days or weeks.
Trump issued a warning about further Houthi retaliation, stating:
“Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.”
He claimed Iran was manipulating the situation while portraying itself as an innocent victim.
Iran Responds to US Action
On Sunday, Hossein Salami, Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, rejected Trump’s claims, stating that the Houthis are independent and make their own decisions.
“We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they take their threats into action,” Salami told Iranian state media.
Civilian Casualties and Protests
The Houthi-run health ministry’s spokesperson, Anees al-Asbahi, reported that most of the victims of the US strikes were women and children.
In response to the attacks, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in rebel-held parts of Yemen, condemning the US strikes.
The demonstrations, organized by Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi, took place in Sanaa, the capital, Amran, Dhamar, Hodeida, and Saada.
Protesters chanted slogans like “Death to America, Death to Israel” while waving rifles and banners.
The rallies coincided with the anniversary of the Battle of Badr, a significant Islamic victory led by Prophet Mohammed.
Sanaa demonstrators declared:
“We are the men of the Prophet.”
The strikes mark the most extensive US military campaign in the Middle East since Trump began his second term.
