Trump's national security adviser issues warning to Iran

President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser said that Mike Waltz said on Sunday that U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen'took out' multiple Houthi leaders. 

Waltz made the revelation on ABC News' 'This Week' on Sunday where he spoke about the strikes on Saturday as well as Houthis' main backer: Iran. 

'This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out,' Waltz said.

Waltz had been asked by anchor Martha Raddatz about how the strikes by the Trump administration were different from those conducted during the Biden administration. 

He said the difference was 'going after the Houthi leadership' and 'holding Iran responsible.' 

The airstrikes were conducted in response to the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. 

At least 31 people were killed after Trump launched the military strikes against Yemen's Houthis, the rebel group revealed. It is now vowing retaliations. 

In a social media post, Trump vowed attacks on American vessels 'will not be tolerated.' 

He also issued a message to Iran to cut its support for the Houthis 'immediately' and if Iran makes threats, the U.S. will hold them 'fully accountable.'

Asked by Raddatz if direct military action on Iran is a possibility, Waltz said 'all options are always on the table with the president.'

'Iran needs to hear him loud and clear,' Waltz said. 'It is completely unacceptable, and it will be stopped, the level of support that they've been providing the Houthis.' 

He said Trump is coming in with 'overwhelming force' and will hold the not only the Houthis accountable but Iran as well. 

Waltz said if Iranians have put in other things, like ships, trainers or intelligence, to help the Houthis attack 'those targets will be on the table too.'

The Houthis said that children were among those killed in the strikes Saturday, and 101 people were wounded. 

The Iran-backed rebel group warned the strikes would not 'pass without response.'

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington had 'no authority' to dictate its foreign policy.

A spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baqaei 'strongly condemned the brutal air strikes by the US' in a later statement. He denounced them as a 'gross violation of the principles of the UN Charter.'

The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which posted images of fighters and a bomb demolishing a building compound, said 'precision strikes' were launched to 'defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation'.  

The rebels, who have controlled much of Yemen for more than a decade, are part of the 'axis of resistance' of pro-Iran groups staunchly opposed to Israel and the United States.

They have launched scores of drone and missile attacks at ships passing Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.

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Trump issues chilling new threat to Iran as US warplanes rain down carnage on Islamists in Yemen

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Houthis had 'attacked US warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023'.

The campaign crippled the vital route, which normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic, forcing many companies into a costly detour around southern Africa.

The Palestinian group Hamas, which has long supported the Houthis, hit out Saturday at the US strikes, branding them 'a stark violation of international law and an assault on the country's sovereignty and stability'.

After halting their attacks when Gaza's ceasefire took effect in January, the Houthis announced on Tuesday that they would resume them until Israel lifts its blockade of aid to the shattered Palestinian territory.

Trump's statement did not reference the dispute over Israel but focused on previous Houthi attacks on merchant shipping.

'To all Huthi [sic] terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!' he said.

'Do NOT threaten the American People, their President... or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!'

Trump's threat to Iran comes after he also make attempts to restart nuclear talks with the country's leaders with a letter just over a week ago. 

Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the idea of negotiating with the U.S. over its nuclear program after receiving the president's letter. 

On Sunday, Waltz told ABC News 'all options are on the table' to ensure Iran does not have a nuclear weapon.

'We cannot have a world with the ayatollahs with their finger on the nuclear button,' Waltz said. 'We cannot have a situation that would result in an arms race across the Middle East in terms of nuclear proliferation.' 

He said Trump is determined 'one way or another' to 'make sure that we don't have a world that can be threatened by a radical regime.'