Iran has issued a chilling threat of retaliation against the United States after President Donald Trump declared they would be held accountable for Houthi attacks in Yemen. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on state television that any nation targeting Iran would “face a severe blow.” His statement quickly gained traction on social media.
The dictator’s threats follow President Trump’s remarks on Monday, where he directly tied Yemen’s Houthi rebels to their primary backer, Iran. Trump warned Tehran that it would “suffer the consequences” if the group continued its attacks on the West. Labeling the Houthis as “sinister mobsters and thugs,” he vowed that any assault would be met with “great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.” In his post, Trump accused Iran of pretending to be “the innocent victim” of rogue terrorists, insisting that they had not, in fact, lost control of the group.
“They’re dictating every move, providing weapons, funding, and highly sophisticated military equipment, as well as so-called ‘intelligence.'”
In a significant shift from the previous administration, President Trump has granted US Central Command the authority to launch offensive strikes against the Houthis at its discretion. His remarks on Truth Social further escalate his administration’s intensified airstrike campaign against the rebels, which claimed at least 53 lives over the weekend. US officials confirmed that strikes targeted more than 40 locations, with additional attacks planned in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Iranian leaders are still considering their response to a letter from President Trump last week, in which he sought to restart negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. While Iran is not believed to have developed a nuclear weapon, it has repeatedly vowed to destroy Israel once it becomes nuclear-capable.
In response to the recent US airstrikes, Houthi supporters staged rallies in multiple cities on Monday, pledging revenge against both America and Israel, accusing them of blocking aid to Gaza following the war against Hamas.
The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel broadcasted young boys chanting the group’s slogan: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior Houthi leader, addressed demonstrators in Sanaa, the rebel-held capital, declaring, “The Yemeni position on Gaza is unwavering. Do whatever you want, Americans—we are men who fear no one but God.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations urged an immediate halt to all military operations in Yemen and the Red Sea. “We call for utmost restraint, as any further escalation could intensify regional tensions,” warned U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on Monday.
The weekend airstrikes targeted headquarters, command centers, and drone facilities where key figures in the Houthis’ drone program were present, according to Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Pentagon stated there was no evidence of civilian casualties, though Houthi officials claimed that women and children were among the dead.
Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations issued a sharp condemnation of President Trump’s recent remarks about the Islamic Republic. He accused Trump and U.S. officials of making “reckless and provocative statements” and warned that Iran would retaliate if those threats translated into action.
In a letter to the U.N. Security Council, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani asserted that Iran would “defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests under international law against any hostile action.”
It remains unclear what prompted Trump’s post on Truth Social. However, over the weekend, the head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attempted to distance Tehran from the actions of the Houthis.
The Houthis launched drones and missiles targeting the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, but none reached the vessel as it continued flight operations in the region.
“Every shot fired by the Houthis will now be considered a shot fired under the weapons and leadership of IRAN,” Trump declared. “IRAN will be held responsible and suffer the consequences—and those consequences will be dire!”
Between November 2023 and January of this year, before a ceasefire began in Gaza, Houthi rebels launched missile and drone attacks on over 100 merchant vessels, sinking two ships and killing four sailors.
The attacks significantly boosted the Houthis’ profile across the Arab world, shifting focus away from their human rights abuses, crackdowns on dissent, and repression of aid workers.
