Trump Announces ‘Powerful Military Action’ in Yemen With Warning to Iran to ‘BEWARE’
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
President Donald Trump announced a “powerful military action” targeting the Houthi rebels in Yemen and also included a warning to Iran in a Saturday afternoon social media post.
Hours after US Central Command announced strikes against ISIS in Iraq, Trump said he had ordered targets in Yemen to be eliminated. The Houthis have been targeting American shipping in the Red Sea over the last year.
“The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated,” Trump wrote. “We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends.”
Trump added:
Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a U.S. flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk.
The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends.
Trump said “brave” Americans were “carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom.”
“No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World,” Trump added. “To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!
Also in the lengthy post, Trump warned leaders in Tehran would be held “accountable” if they continued to support the Houthi’s.
“To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote. “Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!”
According to the Associated Press, Houthis reported being targeted by explosions Saturday.
The radical group has been targeting ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
CENTCOM reported Friday night that US forces had killed ISIS deputy Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai – the group’s second-in-command.
