Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, has vowed retaliation against the United States following a new round of strikes on Yemen. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed conducting strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Yemen, citing the need to protect freedom of navigation in international waters.

Nasreddin Amer, Ansar Allah’s Deputy Information Secretary, told Newsweek, “We consider it an escalation and a brutal aggression. And we will confront it with escalation, and America will pay a heavy price.”

The strikes come amid heightened regional tensions following Iran’s massive ballistic missile strike against Israel on Tuesday. Ansar Allah, a member of the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance coalition, has been targeting vessels accused of defying their maritime blockade against Israel.

The group recently claimed successful drone attacks on Tel Aviv and Israeli military sites, as well as targeting the Panama-flagged Cordelia Moon oil tanker in the Red Sea. In response, the U.S. has deployed additional assets to the region and begun conducting direct strikes against Yemen since January.

Related Story: Houthis Launch Missile at Central Israel

Israel has also struck Yemen, with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi stating, “We know how to reach very far, we know how to reach even farther, and we know how to strike there with precision.”

The conflict has expanded beyond Yemen, with Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups engaging in cross-border attacks with Israel. An IDF spokesperson described the situation as an Iran-backed “ring of fire around Israel.”

As tensions escalate, the strategic importance of Yemen in the broader regional conflict becomes increasingly apparent, despite its distance from Israel.

Read more at Newsweek