by Jerusalem Post Staff, Reuters
US official to 'Post': Strike on Houthis a message to Iran • US President Donald Trump: Houthis, your time is up, hell will rain down upon you
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The United States struck Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday evening in a message to Iran, at a time when the administration is proposing to open negotiations on the nuclear program, a US official told the Jerusalem Post.
The air and naval strikes, which were reportedly ordered by US President Donald Trump, hit the Houthis's radars, air defenses, and missile and drone systems, the New York Times reported.
"Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
Trump also slammed his predecessor, former president Joe Biden for his "pathetically weak" handling of the Houthi threat.
"Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US 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," Trump stressed. "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."
The president concluded the post with a message to the Houthis and to Iran.
Donald Trump: Houthis, your time is up, starting today
"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!," he wrote. "To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! 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!"
The strikes aimed to open international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, which have been disrupted by the Houthis for months.
The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV previously said on Saturday that an attack targeted the Yemeni capital Sana'a, without providing further details.
The Houthis's attacks
The Iran-backed Houthi terror group paused attacks on Israel, which it began in support of Hamas, during the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. However, the Houthis announced last week that they would recommence attacks in response to Israel's blockade on aid in Gaza.
This is a developing story.
Jerusalem Post Staff, Reuters
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-846181
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