Sun Mar 16 09:41:08 UTC 2025: ## Iran Vows Retaliation After US Strikes in Yemen, Tensions Soar
**Tehran, Iran –** Iran has issued a stark warning to the United States following a wave of US airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami vowed a “decisive response” to any further attacks, escalating tensions between the two nations.
The airstrikes, ordered by US President Donald Trump, were launched Saturday with the stated aim of countering the Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping. The US claimed the strikes were a powerful and decisive measure to end the threat. However, a Houthi health official reported at least 31 deaths as a result of the attacks.
Iranian officials strongly condemned the strikes. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called them a “gross violation” of the UN Charter, while top diplomat Abbas Araghchi declared on X (formerly Twitter) that the US has “no authority” to dictate Iranian foreign policy, asserting that era ended with the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Araghchi further urged the US to cease its attacks on the Yemeni people.
Salami, in a televised address Sunday, reiterated Iran’s commitment to not initiating conflict but emphasized the country’s readiness to retaliate forcefully against any perceived threat. He also described the Houthis as independent actors, rejecting the US assertion of Iranian control over the group.
This latest escalation follows a history of strained relations, notably the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, which prompted Iranian missile attacks on US bases in Iraq. The Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen for over a decade and are considered part of a pro-Iran axis, have recently increased attacks on Red Sea shipping, allegedly in solidarity with Palestinians during the recent Gaza conflict. These US strikes mark the first such action since Trump’s return to office in January. The potential for further escalation remains high.
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