Trump Threat to Houthis: Trump vows “major military punishment” and holds Iran responsible
Trump Threat to Houthis: Is the Red Sea conflict expanding? Trump threatens “military punishment” for Houthis and Iran
US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would impose “major military punishment” on the Houthis, holding Iran responsible for any new attacks on ships in the Red Sea, following the group’s announcement that it had targeted two Saudi tankers, in a development that returns the issue of maritime security to the forefront of regional tensions.
Trump: Any new attack will be met with military response
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the United States launched a major offensive against the Houthis a year ago due to their targeting of commerce and navigation, adding that the group had since committed to what he described as “responsible behavior” during the conflict with Iran, before “starting again” to target ships.
He added that the Houthis represent “an alternative entity and a proxy for Iran,” stressing that Washington would hold Tehran responsible if attacks recur, and that any new escalation would be met with major military punishment targeting both the Houthis and Iran together.
Houthis announce targeting two Saudi tankers
In response, the Houthis announced that they had carried out an attack using drones and missiles targeting two Saudi tankers earlier on Thursday, with no independent confirmation of the attack’s results.
The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions in the Red Sea, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Washington warns of widening confrontation
In the same context, Reuters quoted US officials as saying that the Houthi threat to impose a blockade in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could expand the scope of the war and increase pressure on US forces deployed in the region.
In parallel, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry had earlier announced that any threat targeting a ship flying the Pakistani flag constitutes a direct threat to Pakistan’s national security, affirming that Islamabad reserves the right to respond if its ships are subjected to any attack.
A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up… pic.twitter.com/zx6SUXhssT
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 23, 2026
Thus, the latest development reflects the expanding circle of international positions related to Red Sea maritime security, as Washington links any potential escalation to Iran’s responsibility, while warnings mount over the possible widening of the confrontation in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.
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