US considers military action against Iran amid Houthi attacks
A plume of smoke billows during a US strike on Yemen's Houthi-held capital Sanaa early on March 16, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Washington conducted a series of strikes over the weekend targeting numerous Houthi positions in Yemen. The US on Monday did not dismiss the possibility of taking military action against Iran following these strikes. President Donald Trump previously declared that Iran would be held accountable for every attack carried out by the Yemeni rebels from now on.
US forces launched a broad wave of attacks that hit a range of targets, including terrorist training camps, drone facilities, weapons factories, and weapon storage warehouses. According to Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the strikes involved a wider array of targets than previous ones.
Pentagon: ‘All options on the table’
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated, “All options are on the table at this time” in relation to potential actions against Iran. During a media briefing, Parnell emphasized that this was not an open-ended offensive and clarified that US interests would take priority.
President Trump made a statement earlier on Monday, claiming that Iran’s support enabled the Houthis to carry out their attacks. “Any further attack or retaliation by the Houthis will be met with great force, and there’s no guarantee that this force will stop there,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He accused Tehran of providing weapons, funding, advanced military equipment, and intelligence to the Houthis.
Trump reiterated that Iran would be held accountable for all future Houthi strikes, warning that the consequences would be severe. He also mentioned he had previously reached out to Iranian leaders, expressing interest in a new nuclear deal, though Iran has declined to resume negotiations.
The strikes carried out over the weekend were aimed at “restoring freedom of navigation” and reinforcing American deterrence in the region, Parnell noted. He clarified, however, that the objective was not to pursue regime change in the Middle East but rather to protect US interests. Parnell further stated that the Houthis could end the conflict immediately by halting their attacks.
In response to reports of civilian casualties, Lt. Gen. Grynkewich stated there were no credible indications that civilians had been killed during the strikes. However, the Houthis claimed that over 50 individuals, including several children, were killed and nearly 100 others were injured. Grynkewich acknowledged that there had been military casualties but could not confirm further details.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shifted the blame for the Houthi aggression to the Biden administration, accusing it of allowing the group’s “piracy, violence, and terrorism against American vessels.” She asserted, “But there’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Donald Trump. The world is officially on notice.” Leavitt warned Iran to take Trump seriously, adding that the Houthis had learned a tough lesson over the weekend.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized that the ongoing attacks on US vessels—more than 170 recorded incidents—were no longer acceptable. She stated, “It has to stop.” Bruce further asserted that the US strikes were intended to change the Houthis’ stance and, by extension, influence Iran, making it clear that “the days of pinprick responses” were over.
