President Donald Trump said he would respond to Ansar Allah’s attacks on Saudi ships in the Red Sea by ordering attacks on Yemen and Iran. 

“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…they have acted very responsibly,” the President posted on Truth Social Thursday. “Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night.”

He continued, “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible…and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis.”

On Monday, the Yemeni Armed Forces said it was imposing the blockade of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in response to Saudi’s blockade of Yemen and the recent strikes on Sanaa airport. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia bombed the airport in Yemen’s capital city and has maintained a blockade on Ansar Allah-controlled Yemen.

On Wednesday, Ansar Allah claimed to have hit Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. 

Last year, Trump attempted to break Ansar Allah’s blockade of Israeli-linked shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The blockade was implemented in response to the genocide in Gaza. The US bombed Yemen for two months. Ansar Allah responded by expanding the blockade to include US-linked shipping and attacking American warships in the region. 

After two months of fighting, Washington and Ansar Allah agreed to a truce that did not include Yemen agreeing to lift the blockade on Israeli-linked shipping.