Trump says Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia are Iran-directed bid to drive up oil prices before US midterms; leaves door open to asking Turkey for military support

US President Donald Trump shouts to reporters as he boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday. [AFP]
US President Donald Trump shouts to reporters as he boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday. [AFP]

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) signaled he could order retaliatory strikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels after the midterm elections, as the group stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Trump made the warning on Truth Social, saying the Houthis were "behaving very badly."

"A year ago we bombed them viciously, and when we stopped, at their request, I thought they had learned their lesson," Trump wrote. "They were quiet for a long time, but now they are back, attacking Saudi Arabia in a very vicious way."

Trump said the attacks appeared to be carried out "at the direction of Iran — a failed state with perhaps no navy, no air force, and the worst economy in the world with 301% inflation — to deliberately drive up oil prices before the American election." He went on to say that "someone should explain to them that I am not running in this election," and warned: "I will be there after the election is over, and I will never forget."

The remarks were widely read as suggesting Trump believes the Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia — aimed at pushing up global oil prices and hurting Republicans in the midterms — are being directed by Iran, and that he retains the authority to order retaliation against the Houthis regardless of the election outcome.

Trump had previously pledged he would not strike Iran at any point before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The New York Times reported that Trump had rejected plans for large-scale military operations against Iran or the Houthis on five separate occasions in recent months.

Trump appeared to rule out direct US military involvement against the Houthis before the election, but left open the possibility of asking other countries in the region, including Turkey, to provide military support.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump was asked whether he would request that Turkey join in striking the Houthis. "I might do that," he said, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "is a very good friend of mine."

"I think he'll do what I ask," Trump said. "I have a lot of respect for him."

Earlier, Axios reported that Syria was also considering deploying troops to help counter the Houthis, and that the Trump administration had indicated it would not oppose such a deployment.


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