The national security adviser to President Donald Trump, Mike Waltz, on Sunday pinned the blame for Yemeni Houthis striking ships in the Red Sea on Iran.
Speaking with CBS News' Martha Raddatz on "This Week," Waltz said the United States launched strikes on the Houthis to go "after the Houthi leadership" and to hold "Iran responsible."
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis, has not shied away from taking credit for attacks on ships in the Red Sea. He said he attacked the ships as a response to Israel's destruction of Gaza.
On Sunday, he said, "The Americans, in their statements and in their press conferences, are saying that among their reasons for this new round of aggression against our country," Yemen, "this oppressive and criminal round of oppression is also because our Yemeni people during the last 50 months have stood side-by-side with the Palestinian people in facing the genocide committed by the Israelis with the partnership of the Americans."
Despite the Houthis taking credit for attacks on shipping vessels, Walz insisted that "it is Iran who has repeatedly funded, resourced, trained, and helped the Houthis target not only U.S. warships but global commerce, and has helped the Houthis shut down two of the world's most strategic sea lanes."
Iran, however, has denied aiding the Houthis.
"The Islamic Republic has no role in setting the national or operational policies of any part of the resistance front, including the" Houthis "in Yemen, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, General Hossein Salami, said Sunday, according to Global News.
Meanwhile, Walz said the U.S. strikes on Yemen would be a "sustained effort" to "reopen global commerce."
On Saturday, Trump posted to Truth Social, warning he would hold Iran accountable for supporting the Houthis.
"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!," Trump wrote.
"To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!"
Walz, when prompted by Raddatz about Trump's remark, responded by saying that when it comes to the U.S. attacking Iran, "all options are always on the table with the president. But Iran needs to hear him loud and clear."
"The level of support" Iran has "been providing the Houthis," Walz continued, "just like they have Hezbollah, just like they have the militias in Iraq, Hamas, and others — the difference here is the Houthis have incredibly sophisticated air defenses, and they also have anti-shipping cruise missiles, drones, sea-skimming types of attack drones and other ballistic missiles even; they've launched dozens of attacks on multiple warships; dozens of attacks — over 175 on global commerce — sank multiple ships; I just think the American people need to understand what has happened here."
The national security adviser then pinned the Biden administration as "feckless" while issuing another warning to Iran.
"Those targets will be on the table, too," Walz said of Iran or any Iranian program assisting the Houthis.
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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