Yemen’s Houthi group has warned it will target American naval vessels in the Red Sea if the United States joins any military action against Iran, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions already on edge due to fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group would consider any American participation in an Israeli-led strike on Iran as a direct threat and would respond by targeting US warships and other vessels operating in the Red Sea.
“We will target US ships and battleships in the Red Sea if Washington participates in the attack on Iran,” Saree declared in a message broadcast by the group’s media channel. He added that the Houthis were closely monitoring developments in the region and would take “necessary defensive measures” against what he called “hostile movements.”
The remarks reflect growing concern that the ongoing confrontation between Iran and Israel could spill across borders and drag in other actors, including the United States, whose military presence in the region remains significant.
Saree also accused Israel of seeking to eliminate Iran as a regional counterweight, claiming that such efforts are aimed at enabling Israeli domination of the broader Middle East. “We will not allow this plan to be implemented,” he warned.
The threat comes just one day after the US Treasury Department imposed fresh sanctions on Houthi-linked economic networks, in a move aimed at curbing the group’s financial capabilities amid its ongoing military activities in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Tensions have been rising in parallel with reports suggesting that the United States may be preparing for potential strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Aviation monitoring sources reported on Friday that two squadrons of B-2 strategic bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, heading toward Guam in the Pacific — a known staging area for US long-range military operations.
Despite a previous understanding reached in May through Omani mediation — which temporarily paused Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in exchange for a halt in US airstrikes — the group’s latest announcement signals a possible return to hostilities in one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.
Roughly 10 percent of global trade passes through the Red Sea, and any disruption to shipping could have severe global economic consequences. A renewed conflict in the area threatens not only regional security but also vital supply chains already under strain from broader geopolitical instability.
