Doha: US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would deliver "major military punishment" to Iran if Yemen's Houthi group continues its assaults on ships in the Red Sea.

According to Qatar News Agency, Trump made these remarks on his Truth Social account, emphasizing that the United States would hold Iran directly accountable for any further Houthi attacks. He described the Houthi group as "a surrogate and/or proxy of Iran" in the region and expressed his disappointment with their recent actions. Trump noted that the Houthis had previously acted "very responsibly" and "professionally" during their conflict with Iran but had recently resumed attacks on commercial vessels.

Trump recalled past US military actions against the Houthis, which he claimed resulted in a period of calm, and warned both the Houthis and Iran against disrupting vital shipping routes such as the Bab El Mandeb Strait. He stated that the US would take measures to prevent further attacks.

Earlier in the day, a Saudi official from the General Authority for Transport reported that the Saudi-operated vessel Encelia had been attacked in the Red Sea, resulting in a fire on the ship's bow. The official confirmed that all crew members were safe and that necessary steps had been taken to secure the vessel, protect the crew, and safeguard the marine environment. The official further stated that such attacks violate international laws and norms ensuring the safety of commercial vessels and their crews.