US President Joe Biden says the US delivered a “private message” to Iran after ordering airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in a likely indication of his concerns about the Islamic fundamentalist republic possibly getting involved.
The US military yesterday hit another Houthi-controlled site which it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, a day after raids targeting Houthi rebels, in which Britain also participated.
Questioned by reporters as he left the White House yesterday to spend the weekend at Camp David, Mr Biden confirmed US officials had been in touch with Tehran to deliver a message which seems likely to have been a warning.
He said: “We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well prepared.”
The US-led bombardment came in response to a recent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea.
Mr Biden said: “We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behaviour along with our allies.”
The US President also rejected suggestions from both Democrats and Republican politicians and said he should have sought congressional authorisation before carrying out the strikes.
He said: “They’re wrong, and I sent up this morning when the strikes occurred exactly what happened.”
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the joint action “will have gone some way to degrade Houthi capabilities built up with Iranian backing”.
The air strikes “sent an unambiguous message” to the Houthis that “we are determined to put a stop” to their Red Sea attacks, Lord Cameron said, while hinting that Britain could join the US in striking the Houthis again if they continue.
He added: “We will work with allies. We will always defend the freedom of navigation.
“And, crucially, we will be prepared to back words with actions.”
He also rejected Houthi claims that the attacks were linked to Israel’s war in Gaza as “nonsense”, saying: “They’ve attacked ships from countries all over the world, heading to destinations right across the globe.”
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, said in a recorded address that the US strikes would “not go unanswered or unpunished.”
In an interview with Newsweek, Saeed Iravani, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, appeared to downplay the prospect of any Iranian involvement.
Referring to the official name of the Houthi movement, he said: “While the resistance groups in Iraq and Lebanon are integral to their respective governments, with decisions subject to governmental considerations, Ansarullah stands apart as an independent government possessing national sovereignty.”
Ansarullah operates with a “distinctive status” and enjoyed “the highest level of support from its people”, he claimed.
He added: “In the aftermath of the recent aggression, within a few hours, millions of Yemeni people took to the streets to express their unwavering support for their government’s policy, concurrently expressing disdain towards America and Israel.
“Considering this significant show of support, it is anticipated that other resistance groups may not recognise the necessity to extend operational assistance to Ansarullah in this critical juncture.
“That is despite the fact that Ansarullah, fortified by the backing of its people and the demonstrated capacity and strength, can defend its nation and its citizens effectively.”
