Trump: Houthis face “major military punishment” following ship attacks

President Trump: “Sthe Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran.” [Photo: White House]

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump says that “major military punishment” will be inflicted on Iran and the Houthis, after the Houthis, who declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, claimed attacks on two ships transiting the Bab El Mandeb.

Windward AI says one strike is corroborated: Encelia (IMO 9240172), hit ~70nm SW of Al Shuqaiq, crew safe. A second claim, VLCC Ence;;(IMO 9336098), stays unconfirmed and AIS-dark since July 17.

President Trump said the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, “in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran.”

Underscoring that, Reuters reports that Iran had flown in Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers and missile- and drone-related equipment into Yemen on July 14, according to four sources.

Here’s the full Truth Social post:

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. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night. Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

With the Houthi threat to Bab el Mandeb transits compounding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices have nowhere to go but up.