On Sunday, the State Department condemned the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist movement in Yemen for lethal attacks on cargo vessels in the Red Sea and on Israel. This condemnation comes amid renewed calls for President Trump to support Yemen’s legitimate government in its efforts to overthrow the Houthi regime.
Walid Phares, a prominent American Middle East expert, informed Digital that, in his view, “Iran is simply buying time to rearm and resume its regional expansion” concerning “negotiations with Hamas and the regime in Tehran.”
Phares stated that if talks fail, there is a need “to reassemble a ground force comprised of units loyal to the legitimate Yemeni government (currently in exile in Aden), and—crucially—the Southern Transitional Council (STC), whose forces are based in the Aden region and maintain frontlines adjacent to Houthi-controlled territory. Notably, STC forces have achieved the most significant victories against the Khomeinist militias in past years.”
Phares, an advisor to Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, further added that “The United States should back, fund, and train these southern forces for renewed ground operations along the Red Sea coast, particularly to retake the vital port city of Hodeidah. Simultaneously, northern units loyal to the Yemeni government could advance toward the capital, Sanaa. Allied airpower would provide the necessary cover to enable a southern-northern pincer movement that could collapse the Houthi hold on Yemen and eliminate the threat entirely.”
He contended that “This would pave the way for future negotiations—not with Tehran’s proxies—but with a federated, pro-Western Yemeni government independent of Iranian influence.”
In May, Trump announced a halt to a military air campaign against the Houthi movement, stating that the Houthis “just don’t want to fight…and we will honor that. We will stop the bombings.”
However, the Houthi terrorists appear to have violated their promise to Trump to cease attacks.
Department of Defense spokesman Sean Parnell told Digital, “The DOD remains prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region. Secretary Hegseth continues to make clear that, should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people. We will not discuss future operations.”
On July 7, it was reported that Israel engaged in missile exchanges with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday, targeting the group’s ports and other facilities.
Israel’s initial strikes were a response to a suspected Houthi attack on a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea. The vessel was targeted with explosives and small arms fire, causing it to take on water and forcing the crew to abandon ship. The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for this specific attack. Israel’s military issued a warning before its assault, which targeted ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa, and Salif.
“These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,” the Israeli military stated.
Last week’s Houthi attacks led to the sinking of the bulk carrier Magic Seas, resulting in the presumed deaths of four individuals and 11 others missing, according to an AP report.
This announcement came as satellite images revealed long, trailing oil slicks from where the bulk carrier Eternity C sank, and another from when the Houthis sank the bulk carrier Magic Seas.
Both ships were attacked over a week ago by the rebels as part of their campaign targeting vessels due to the war in Gaza, according to reports. The Houthi campaign has disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, a route through which $1 trillion of goods typically passes annually.
A State Department spokesperson told Digital, “The United States condemns these attacks. These recent attacks have led to the loss of life, injury to sailors, and the sinking of cargo ships. Houthi attacks continue to endanger the lives of seafarers, harm economies across the region, and risk environmental disaster.”
The spokesperson further added, “Global freedom of navigation and Israel have been under attack by the Houthi rebels for too long. The U.S. supports Israel’s ability to exercise its right to self-defense.”
After the Biden administration removed the Houthi movement from the foreign terrorist organization list, the Trump administration promptly relisted it in March.
The official slogan of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) reads, “Allah is Greater. Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse on the Jews. Victory to Islam.”
Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and AP contributed to this report.