Trump dismissed the threat of a Red Sea blockade by the Houthis

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed the threat of a Red Sea blockade by Iran-backed Houthis, telling reporters: "If something like that happens, we'll just have to deal with it," reports UNN.

"It hasn't happened yet. It might happen, but we'll deal with it," he said from the Oval Office. "We've already done this with the Houthis, and since we did, we haven't heard from them in a long time."

The publication notes that a naval blockade of the Red Sea could open a new front in the US war with Iran, further narrowing the flow of Middle Eastern oil.

Houthi forces in Yemen warned Saudi vessels to refrain from using the Red Sea in a message delivered on Monday to ships operating in this vital waterway. This is already affecting shipping and causing concern among corporations, a risk manager from a Fortune 500 company told CNN earlier on Tuesday.

Trump declined to specify how the US would respond if the Houthis attempt to block the waterway, instead citing previous strikes against the group.

"We conducted very powerful operations against the Houthis for about 45 days, and we had no problems with them," he said. "They also had no problems with us for a long time, including during this conflict."

Houthis announce naval blockade of Saudi Arabia amid US-Iran tensions20.07.26, 23:58 • 3796 views