Trump ordered airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels Saturday night, which have killed over 50 people according to the Yemeni health ministry [Getty]
The US could hit Iranian targets in Yemen as part of its ongoing military campaign against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels, President Donald Trump’s national security adviser warned on Sunday.
Washington has urged Tehran to stop all support for the Houthis in Yemen, saying recent US strikes against the group aimed at ending the rebels’ attacks on vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Israel.
The US strikes have killed more than 50 people, the health ministry in Yemen said, including civilians, sparking a rise in oil prices and concerns of an escalation in the MENA region.
Oman voiced “great concern” over the recent US military strikes, warning of their humanitarian and regional consequences in Yemen.
“The escalation exacerbates the suffering of the Yemeni people and increases instability in the region,” the sultanate’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Human rights group DAWN condemned the strikes, accusing President Trump of escalating conflict in Yemen and violating international law.
“President Trump has broken his promise to the American people to stop entangling us in wasteful wars by launching attacks on Yemen, the poorest country in the region, inviting a Houthi counterattack on a U.S. warship,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN’s executive director.
“Rather than put America first, Trump is once again following decades of bad U.S. policies, using American taxpayer resources to serve Israel’s interests and further destabilizing the entire region.”
Houthis have been attacking Israel-bound vessels and firing rockets at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. After pausing in January following the Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal, the Houthis said they would resume their attacks until Israel lifts its blockade on aid to Gaza.
Mike Waltz said the US was not only willing to strike Houthi targets but also sites directly linked to Iran.
Possible targets could include Iranian ships near the Yemeni coast that have allegedly helped the Houthis to gather intelligence, Iranian military trainers, and “other things they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy”, said Waltz.
Some economists believe the attacks on shipping lanes have impacted global trade.
The Houthis claimed they had hit a US carrier in the Red Sea on Sunday using missiles and drones, and said any escalation would be met with met likewise.
US strikes, ordered by Trump on Saturday night, could go on for days or weeks, according to reports.
“We will hold not only Houthis accountable but also their Iranian backers,” said Waltz.
Tehran has denied it supports the Yemeni rebel group, vowing to retaliate if attacked.
Iran and its allies – known as the “Axis of Resistance” –Â have been dealt very heavy blows in the region.
Hezbollah in Lebanon was pummeled in the war with Israel last year, Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria was ousted in a lightning rebel offensive in December, and Iraq is under heavy pressure to disarm Iran-backed Shia militias.
The US has also hinted it could take military action against Iran over its nuclear programme if negotiations fail.
