Wearing a "Trump" T-shirt and the now classic red "MAGA" (Make America Great Again) hat, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared as he watched the first military operation of his new term, which he ordered against Houthi terrorists in Yemen. Iran's soldiers, the Revolutionary Guards, threaten reprisals.
HDN Newsroom
In photographs released late Saturday by the White House, the US president watches the first military operation conducted in his new term.
In a tweet, the White House said President Trump was "taking action against the Houthis to defend U.S. shipping and deter terrorist threats."
In an indirect reference to Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, the post adds that "for too long American interests have been threatened — but not by this presidency."
Following the US attack on Yemen's Houthi terrorists, the Revolutionary Guards warn the US of retaliation from Tehran.
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards army, Major General Hossein Salami, warns the US of retaliation for overnight US airstrikes targeting Houthi rebel military facilities.
"Tehran will respond decisively and destructively to any enemy that takes threatening actions," Hossein Salami said.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US government "has no authority or right to dictate Iranian foreign policy."
"End support for Israeli genocide and terrorism," he posted on X on Sunday. "Stop killing the Yemeni people."
U.S. President President Trump on Saturday ordered the biggest wave of airstrikes against Houthi targets since taking office, marking what one U.S. official said was the start of "relentless" U.S. strikes.
Since the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthi-led health ministry said at least 31 people were killed and 101 others wounded in the strikes and said its forces would respond to U.S. strikes.
The Houthis reported a series of explosions on Saturday night in Sanaa and the northern province of Saada - the rebel stronghold on the border with Saudi Arabia.
"Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs fired missiles at U.S. aircraft and targeted our troops and allies," Trump wrote on his social platform Truth Social, adding that "piracy, violence and terrorism cost them billions of dollars and put lives at risk."
Trump added that the strikes were a message to Iran, in which he sent a letter earlier this week proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal.
At the same time, AXIOS reveals that Trump had ordered the Pentagon to begin preparing military plans against the Houthis after his decision to "redesignate" them as a terrorist organization several weeks after taking office, according to a US official.
After the Houthis shot down a U.S. military drone two weeks ago, preparations for the strikes accelerated, the official said.
Last Friday, President Trump approved the attack plan and on Saturday gave the final order for it to take place, the U.S. official said.
The Trump administration informed a small number of key allies in advance. Before the attack began, the United States had notified Israel of what was to come, according to a senior Israeli official.
Immediately after the strikes, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that "continued Houthi attacks on U.S. military and merchant ships in the Red Sea will not be tolerated."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on the United States to stop airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Lavrov had a phone call with U.S. Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, Russia's Foreign Ministry added.
"Responding to the arguments of the American representative, Sergey Lavrov underlined the need for an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance of all sides engaging in political dialogue in order to find a solution that will prevent further bloodshed," the ministry said.
The Houthis, Islamist terrorists, have also attacked Greek ships and dealt a blow to both international shipping and freight rates worldwide, as merchant ships are now forced to bypass the Suez Canal, the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, due to attacks by Houthi rebels.
