Hegseth says US bombing campaign kept Houthis out of Iran conflict

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the United States' military campaign against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen played a crucial role in preventing the group from becoming a significant factor in the recent Iran conflict. Speaking during Friday's Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Hegseth credited President Donald Trump's approach to national security, saying, "The courage to bomb the Houthis and say we will maintain freedom of navigation. You wonder why they're not involved in this conflict, the Houthis, even though they're a proxy to Iran? Because they've felt the weight of American power." Hegseth argued that sustained U.S. operations throughout 2024 and 2025 weakened the Houthis' ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea, helping restore safer maritime navigation. His remarks came as Saudi Arabia gathered representatives from 43 countries to discuss Red Sea security following renewed Houthi warnings that they could resume attacks on commercial vessels. The meeting highlighted growing international concern over maritime security and the risk of further instability in one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

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