US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to continue strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and inflict “real pain” on them and their Iranian backers, until they ceased all aggression towards American ships.

Washington will view “every shot” fired by the Houthis as a shot fired by Iran that could bring about “dire consequences”, he said. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, said on Friday that his country has no need for proxies and that the Houthis act in their own interests.

The U.S. will soon have two carrier strike groups in the region as Washington steps up its pressure on Tehran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reinforced U.S. military capability in the Middle East with more warplanes.

Tensions are growing between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program with the U.S. president saying it could be bombed.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program, and the United States has moved additional warplanes into the region.

Tensions are growing between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program and the U.S. has not ruled out a military option