Trump blames Iran for Houthi attacks on ships in Red Sea

President Donald Trump has stated that Iran will be held responsible and punished for attacks by the Houthis on any commercial ship in the Red Sea.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the Yemen group a “proxy of Iran.” He added that their actions against US allies in the Gulf will be viewed as attacks by 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, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly,” Trump wrote on social media.

“Unfortunately, now they are starting up again,” he said, referring to recent Houthi strikes that set two Saudi Arabian vessels on fire in the Red Sea on Wednesday.

Reports say the attack happened just days after the Iranian-backed group blocked Saudi Arabia's naval routes. They also threatened to start a new front in the Middle East war following an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week.

The Houthis blame Saudi Arabia for this attack, even though the UN-recognised Yemeni government claimed responsibility. The Yemeni government is supported by Saudi Arabia, which has placed an air blockade on Sanaa airport. The two vessels attacked by the Houthis are linked to Saudi Arabia.

Reuters noted that Tehran is urging the Houthis to shut down the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea if the US keeps attacking Iranian power infrastructure.

Tension in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key oil shipping route, is raising worries in the global market. The attack on Wednesday has pushed oil prices above $100 and heightened fears about energy supplies.

Recent events suggest the war may escalate further. Trump has mentioned he is thinking about a “massive attack” on Iran and is close to making a decision.

He claimed the attack will be “bigger than ever before.”

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the “alarming disregard for international law” is driving crises in the region. He pointed out that “conflicts are increasing in number, complexity, length and scope, while impunity is spreading.”

“The situation is getting out of control. It is teetering on the edge of the unimaginable,” he warned.

Analysts have connected the CENTCOM strike on Shalamcheh, a border area between Iran and Iraq, to a possible plan to send US ground troops. The IRGC has already said they are “counting down to the minute.”