Trump warns Iran of 'dire consequences' over Houthi attacks as tensions escalate

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday directly linked Yemen's Houthi rebels to Iran, warning Tehran that it would “suffer the consequences” for further attacks carried out by the group.

Trump's remarks, posted on his Truth Social platform, intensify his administration’s recent airstrikes against the Houthis, which killed at least 53 people over the weekend. Meanwhile, Iran is still considering its response to a letter Trump sent last week seeking to reopen negotiations over its nuclear program.

Houthi supporters staged demonstrations in several cities following the strikes, vowing retaliation against the U.S. and Israel over the blockade of aid to Gaza. During a rally in Sanaa, Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi declared, “The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no one but God.”

The United Nations has called for an immediate halt to military actions in Yemen and the Red Sea, warning that any further escalation could heighten regional tensions. “Utmost restraint” is needed to prevent worsening instability, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday.

Calling the Houthis “sinister mobsters and thugs,” Trump warned that any further attacks by the group would be met with "great force." He directly accused Iran of orchestrating the Houthis’ actions, alleging, “They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated military equipment, and even, so-called, ‘Intelligence.’”

Iran has yet to respond to Trump’s remarks. However, the commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard recently sought to distance Tehran from the Houthis’ actions. Meanwhile, the Houthis targeted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, though none reached the vessel as it continued operations in the region.

Trump’s warning comes as the Houthis claimed additional U.S. airstrikes overnight, though American officials have not confirmed them. The rebels have previously attacked over 100 merchant ships between November 2023 and January 2024, sinking two and killing four sailors before a Gaza ceasefire temporarily halted hostilities.