During the high-profile Oval Office press conference where President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu laid down a red line for Iran, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning to another arm of Iran’s terror empire: the Houthis in Yemen.
“It’s about to get worse for the Houthis,” Hegseth declared, standing beside the two leaders. “They’ve terrorized global shipping, launched missiles at Israeli cities, and served as Iran’s last fully operational proxy. That ends now.”
The comment signals a dramatic escalation in U.S. strategy against the Houthis, who, since October 2023, have expanded their attacks beyond Yemen, launching ballistic missiles and drones toward Israeli population centers and endangering international maritime trade in the Red Sea.
Secretary Hegseth made it clear that the days of leniency are over. “Under this administration, we don’t tolerate terror disguised as resistance. The Houthis have chosen their side—and now they’ll face the consequences.”
Iran’s Last Proxy Standing
The Houthis have increasingly filled the void left by Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iran-backed militias that have suffered heavy losses due to Israeli and U.S. counterterror operations. As Iran’s regional influence crumbles—from the fall of Assad in Syria to the degradation of Hezbollah’s power in Lebanon—the Houthis remain one of the last major operational proxies under Tehran’s command.
