Yemen's Houthis vow to target U.S. ships if Washington attacks Iran

SANAA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement on Saturday that it would target U.S. ships if Washington attacks Iran.

"If America is involved in the attack and aggression against Iran … the armed forces (Houthi forces) will target its ships and battleships in the Red Sea," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement, aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"We follow and monitor all the movements in the region … and we will take the necessary measures," he said, adding: "We stand by Iran … We will not allow America and its criminal entity to implement their plans in the region."

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that he has given Iran a maximum of two weeks to return to the negotiation table over its nuclear program.

Last week, Israel began a campaign of airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and senior Iranian leaders, destroying several infrastructures and killing dozens of Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists. In response, Iran has carried out missile and drone attacks on various locations in Israel.

The Yemen-based Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been targeting Israel since November 2023, weeks after the Israel-Hamas war broke out in Gaza, to show solidarity with Palestinians.■