Iran is supplying advanced weapons to the Houthis, according to a report last month by the British Ministry of Defence, which presented clear evidence to support the claim. Against this backdrop, and amid ongoing U.S. airstrikes in Yemen, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a public warning to Iran overnight (between Wednesday and Thursday) in response to its involvement in the regional escalation.
“We see your lethal support for the Houthis”
In a post on his X account, Hegseth wrote:
“A message to Iran – we see your lethal support for the Houthis. You know very well what the U.S. military is capable of — and you were warned.”
He emphasized that Tehran will not escape the consequences of its actions, stating clearly that a U.S. response is on the way:
“You will pay — at a time and place of our choosing.”
Message to IRAN:
We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing.
You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 1, 2025
Evidence of weapons shipments to Yemen
These warnings from the American administration come in the wake of a major intelligence disclosure by the United Kingdom. In April, the British Ministry of Defense revealed conclusive evidence that Iran has been transferring advanced weapons to the Houthis.
During an operation in February, the Royal Navy vessel HMS Montrose intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Gulf of Oman and discovered a shipment of missiles and missile components. A hard drive recovered from the drone contained footage of flight tests carried out at a facility belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran.
Violation of the arms embargo
The seized weapons included anti-aircraft missiles and components for “Project 351” cruise missiles. The shipment was presented to the United Nations Security Council as proof of a direct breach of the international arms embargo on the Houthis, which has been in place since 2014. These findings further reinforced the allegations of Iran’s long-term, systematic, and direct involvement in the ongoing war in Yemen.
