Houthi Threat to U.S. Navy: Iran’s First Return on 20-Year Investment

Yemeni researcher Adnan al-Jabri stated that the Houthis’ recent threat to target U.S. naval vessels in the Red Sea represents the first direct strategic return for Iran after nearly two decades of building up the group’s capabilities.

“Iran is now playing its Houthi-Red Sea card against the U.S. if it joins the war,” al-Jabri wrote, describing the Houthis’ involvement in the Gaza war as a rehearsal for such a scenario, where they resume operations under the banner of defending Iran.

Earlier today, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree declared that the group is prepared to strike American warships in the Red Sea if the U.S. participates in any military action alongside Israel against Iran.

Saree warned that “Yemen will not stand idly by” and that the group is closely monitoring regional military movements, ready to take what he described as “legitimate actions to defend the nation.”

The threat comes amid soaring tensions between Iran and Israel, with growing fears of a broader regional conflict involving Iran-backed militias, including the Houthis in Yemen.

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