OPINION:
One of Iran’s generals warned America and the world that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will respond “decisively and destructively” to further U.S. attacks on the Houthis in Yemen — and all of President Donald Trump’s team went, yawn.
Bring it on, big guy.
This is not the Joe Biden, Barack-Obama-Third-Term, Democrat Party foreign policy playbook of conciliation-at-all-costs type of White House anymore.
This is the White House that meets fire with blowtorches. Hit America? Hit American interests? Stand back and watch as the U.S. bombs make the buildings disappear.
Following a year-plus of more than 100 attacks on merchant ships, resulting in the destruction of several and the death of sailors, Trump’s administration finally told the Houthis — and Iran, which funds the group — enough; enough is enough. U.S. Central Command reported over the weekend it had “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”
And the Houthis didn’t like that. Iran didn’t like that. They liked it much better when Team Biden nibbled at their fingernails and did nothing and let all the attacks on ships proceed. If there’s one thing terrorists hate — it’s a Trump administration.
“I’ve ordered the United States military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen,” Trump wrote on his social media site.
He went on: “It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. The last American warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times.”
And then, for good measure, he added this, and for added emphasis, in caps: “To all Houthi 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!”
Then Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth went on national news and added this: Yep. What Trump said.
“The minute the Houthis say ‘we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end, but until then, it will be unrelenting,” Hegseth said, during a Fox News appearance.
But until then — “Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen,” The Associated Press reported. Dozens reported dead. More than 100 reported injured.
More on the way.
And Iran’s Gen. Hossein Salami weighed in with this: “We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they [America] carry out their threats. We are not a nation to live in hiding. We are a valid and legitimate system in the world. We announced it if we attack anywhere.”
Great. Thanks. Good to know. Trump’s White House does the same — and couldn’t be clearer in saying the Houthis days of wantonly attacking whomever they will have come to an end.
Iran can bluster and bully and threaten all it wants. But this executive branch is just as clear: Attack America — and America will respond in kind. Common sense foreign policy and bold, effective national security has finally returned to the White House.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on X @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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