US warns: Iran will pay CONSEQUENCE for backing Yemen's Houthis
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran of repercussions for its support of Yemen's Houthis (Ansarallah), even as Washington continues indirect talks with Tehran aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.
"Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing," Hegseth wrote on X. "You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.
The official also reposted a message by President Donald Trump from March, originally shared on Truth Social, in which Trump said Iran would be held responsible for any attacks carried out by the Houthis.
https://t.co/DKl55mmFaT pic.twitter.com/vsVttencfH
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) May 1, 2025
Tehran, however, has long denied commanding the group, insisting the Houthis act independently.
Ansarallah, which controls much of northern Yemen, has launched repeated missile and drone attacks on Red Sea shipping, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where US-backed Israeli attacks have killed at least 61,709 people and injured over 111,588 — mostly women and children — according to Al Jazeera’s tracker.
The US has responded with force, striking over 1,000 Houthi targets since March. In parallel, the Pentagon has ramped up its regional military presence, deploying six B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia and stationing two aircraft carriers in the Middle East. US air defense systems have also been repositioned from Asia to the region.
Hegseth's warning comes as the US and Iran prepare to hold a fourth round of indirect negotiations in Rome on Saturday, mediated by Oman. The talks aim to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to lift US sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.
Despite public commitments to diplomacy, both Tehran and Washington remain far apart on a dispute that has dragged on for over two decades.
Trump, in a recent interview with Time magazine, expressed optimism about a potential deal but reiterated his threat to use military force if negotiations collapse.
