WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Houthis, a Yemen-based armed group, have posed no recent challenge in the Red Sea and that U.S. forces would respond if necessary.
"So far, it hasn't happened," Trump told reporters when meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House. "If something like that happens we take care of it," he added.
"They've had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this (U.S.-Iran) conflict," Trump said, referring to the Houthis. "I think that if there is something like that, we'll just have to take care of business."
The Houthi group has warned international shipping companies that vessels trading with Saudi ports could face military action, in what appears to be an escalation following the group's maritime ban announcement against Saudi Arabia.
An advisory email issued late Monday by the group's Sanaa-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center said the warnings cover not only Saudi-flagged vessels but also ships loading or unloading cargo at Saudi ports.
The advisory came hours after the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping.
Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi on Tuesday warned that the Houthi group's threats could have broader implications for security in the Red Sea.
A blockade of the Red Sea, a vital corridor for international trade and energy shipments, could heighten tensions in the Middle East and disrupt regional oil flows.
The Houthis have previously used missiles, drones, and naval weapons against vessels they accused of being linked to Israel and the United States during the Gaza war, forcing shipping companies to divert vessels away from the Red Sea. ■