Trump says US will ‘take care’ of Houthis if Red Sea strait blocked - The Hill

What the report says

The Hill reported that President Trump said Tuesday that the United States would “take care” of any Houthi move to block Red Sea shipping and energy exports from Saudi Arabia. Speaking in the Oval Office while hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump said a blockade had not yet occurred but suggested Washington would respond if it did, pointing to earlier U.S. action against the Yemen-based group.

The comments followed a Monday announcement by Houthi armed forces declaring an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, which they described as retaliation. The Hill said such a step could threaten a U.S.-Houthi ceasefire reached in May 2025 with Omani mediation. That arrangement halted Houthi attacks on American vessels but did not cover Israeli ships moving through the strait.

According to The Hill, the U.S. carried out a major operation against the Houthis from March to May 2025 after attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The article cited the Pentagon as saying more than 1,000 targets were struck, including Houthi fighters, leaders and missile and drone officials. The report also noted that about 15 percent of global shipping uses these maritime routes, underscoring the potential economic and security impact of renewed disruption.

The Hill said the latest Houthi threat came after a strike on Sanaa airport in Houthi-controlled northern Yemen. Yemen’s internationally recognized government in the south claimed responsibility, while the Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia and later fired at an airport in Abha, Saudi Arabia.