Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, delivered updates regarding the military operation against the Houthis in Yemen, suggesting that the terrorist group was under heavy fire and the situation was expected to escalate further.
Hegseth made the comments during President Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He emphasized that the US military was committed to safeguarding American interests in the area and would only ease off if the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, stopped attacking American vessels.
Speaking to the press, Hegseth stated, “The past three weeks have been difficult for the Houthis, and the situation is going to deteriorate further. The campaign has been highly effective, targeting various assets including underground facilities, weapons production sites, bunkers, exposed troops, and air defense systems.”
“We are not gonna relent, and it’s only to get more unrelenting until the Houthis declare they will stop shooting at our ships. And we’ve been very clear with the Iranians as well, they should not continue to provide support to the Houthis, and that message has been made very clear,” he added.
.@SecDef: “It has been a bad three weeks for the Houthis. It’s about to get worse.” pic.twitter.com/En7kAI8nH1
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2025
The Houthis have been attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea for several years but engaged in a noted escalation following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
The Biden administration responded by increasing the U.S. naval presence in the region. Under the Trump administration, there has been an increased effort to restore freedom of movement within one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes.
Jennifer Griffin, the Chief National Security Correspondent for Fox News, has repeatedly criticized the Pentagon for the operation under the guise of fiscal concerns. While Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) expressed outrage that the terror group had been a target.
