Biden: "If Houthi Attacks Continue, Additional Measures Will Be Taken"

U.S. President Joe Biden stated on the 12th (local time) that if the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen continue their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, "we will definitely respond further."

President Joe Biden of the United States. Photo by Yonhap News

After visiting Allentown, Pennsylvania, President Biden told reporters, when asked if the bombings would continue if the Houthi attacks did not stop, "If they continue this heinous act, we will definitely respond to the Houthis."

When asked if he had a message for Iran, he said, "I have already sent a message to Iran," adding, "They know they cannot do anything."

When asked if the situation was effectively a proxy war with Iran, he replied, "No," emphasizing, "Iran does not want a war with the United States."

President Biden also said, "This attack was very successful," and added, "As far as I know, there were no civilian casualties, which is another reason why this is considered successful."

He also expressed concern about the impact on oil prices due to the Middle East situation.

Earlier, U.S. and British forces, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, carried out airstrikes on Houthi bases in the Red Sea, where the Houthis had been continuing attacks on commercial vessels. Targets included the Houthis' logistics hubs, air defense systems, and weapons storage facilities.

In a statement immediately after the airstrikes, President Biden said, "This attack sends a clear message that we will not tolerate threats to freedom of navigation on one of the world's most important commercial routes," and added, "We will not hesitate to order additional measures to protect our people and the free flow of international logistics."

According to the U.S. government, in retaliation for the airstrikes the previous day, the Houthi rebels fired an anti-ship ballistic missile at a U.S. warship on the same day. The Houthi Supreme Council immediately after the airstrikes designated the United States and the United Kingdom as direct and legitimate targets.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.