The U.S. has accused Iran of close involvement in recent attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, as tensions escalate and Washington considers potential forceful measures. The White House has publicly released U.S. intelligence, revealing Iran’s connection to the Yemeni insurgents who continue to carry out ship strikes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants. The White House claims that Iran has provided the Houthis with drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson stated that Iran played a significant role in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and showed no signs of discouraging the Houthis from their reckless behavior. The Pentagon reported that the Houthis have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks on 10 merchant vessels. In response to these attacks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held an emergency meeting with defense officials from multiple countries to address the “reckless, dangerous” actions that violate international law. The USS Carney recently shot down 14 attack drones believed to have been fired from Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen. BP has temporarily halted all gas and oil shipments in the Red Sea due to the attacks, and the U.S. has formed a multinational naval task force to protect vessels in the region. The situation has prompted the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to enter the Gulf of Aden. The White House highlighted the similarities between Iranian and Houthi drones and missiles, as well as the Houthis’ reliance on Iranian-provided monitoring systems at sea. The Biden administration initially took a low-key approach to the Houthi attacks to preserve peace in Yemen, where a fragile truce has been in place since April 2022. Iran openly supports Hamas, and although U.S. officials have no evidence of Tehran’s prior knowledge or direct planning of the recent attack, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, predominantly civilians.,
The White House has accused Iran of being a destabilizing force in the Middle East. It contends that Iran’s support for regional militant groups and its pursuit of nuclear weapons pose a significant threat to global security. The U.S. government has repeatedly expressed concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile program and its alleged involvement in cyber attacks. The White House maintains that it will continue to apply pressure on Iran through economic sanctions and diplomatic channels.
The White House levels accusations against Iran, asserting that they are
