Trump vows relentless strikes on Houthis, warns Iran of ‘real pain’ ahead
United States President Donald Trump stands in the presidential box as he tours the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, U.S. on March 17, 2025. (AFP Photo)
United States President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that strikes on Yemen’s Houthis will continue until they no longer pose a threat to shipping, warning both the rebels and their Iranian backers of “real pain” to come.
Trump’s threat, issued via the Truth Social network, comes as his administration deals with fallout from a scandal involving a leaked chat between senior U.S. officials discussing the Yemen strikes. The chat was accidentally sent to a journalist.
His remarks also coincide with a hardening of his rhetoric toward Tehran, with Trump warning that “there will be bombing” if Iran does not reach a deal regarding its nuclear program.
“The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at U.S. ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran,” Trump said.
‘Our attacks will continue’
Trump added that the Houthis had been “decimated” by “relentless” strikes since March 15, claiming U.S. forces had been hitting them “every day and night — harder and harder.”
“Our attacks will continue until they are no longer a threat to Freedom of Navigation,” he said.
Trump has frequently highlighted what he describes as the success of U.S. strikes on the Houthis in recent days, particularly in response to questions about the so-called “Signalgate” scandal that has shaken his administration.
Yemen strikes plans leaked
The Atlantic magazine revealed last week that its editor had been mistakenly included in a chat on the Signal app, where senior officials, including Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussed the details of airstrike timings and intelligence.
Trump has rejected calls to dismiss Waltz or Hegseth, dismissing the scandal as a “witch hunt.”
“This case has been closed here at the White House as far as we are concerned,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.
Both Waltz and Hegseth reposted Trump’s Truth Social message about the Houthis on Monday.
