U.S. President Donald Trump warned on the 21st (local time) that the United States would respond if the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen act on their threats to blockade Saudi Arabia's maritime transport and energy exports.

Speaking to reporters during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office, President Trump said, "It hasn't happened yet, but it could happen. But we will handle the situation well."

He added, "If it happens, we will deal with it. As you know, we have taken such actions against the Houthis in the past, and we haven't heard from them for a while since we took those steps."

The warning follows the Houthis' declaration of a "maritime blockade against the criminal Saudi enemy," raising concerns that instability could rise again in one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.

The threat also carries the risk of unraveling a truce agreement brokered by Oman between the U.S. and the Houthi rebels in May 2025.

That agreement had halted Houthi attacks on U.S. vessels, but Israel-linked ships passing through the Red Sea were excluded from its provisions.

President Trump cited the success of military operations conducted by his administration against the Houthis, stating that they had restored deterrence after months of attacks on merchant ships.

President Trump added, "It was a very strong operation we conducted against the Houthis for about 45 days, and since then, there have been no issues involving the Houthis," continuing, "They have not caused any problems for us for a long time, including throughout this conflict. If something like that happens, we will just have to resolve the problem."

Between March and May 2025, the U.S. military carried out large-scale airstrikes targeting the Iranian-backed terrorist organization following repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The U.S. Department of War stated that it had struck over 1,000 Houthi targets, including missile bases, drone facilities, military infrastructure, and senior leaders of the militant group.

The Red Sea remains one of the most vital maritime routes in the world, through which approximately 15% of global maritime traffic passes.

Following an airstrike on Sanaa International Airport, the Houthi forces blamed Saudi Arabia and issued their recent threats.

The internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, admitted responsibility for the attack. In retaliation, the Houthi rebels escalated tensions by launching an attack on a Saudi airport located in Abha.

Newsmax reported that President Trump's remarks underscore his administration's determination to keep critical shipping lanes open and deter Iranian-backed proxy forces from disrupting global trade and regional security.

U.S. NNP = Representative Reporter Hong Sung-goo / Special Correspondent for NNP info@newsandpost.com