Yemen’s Houthi movement is signaling it is preparing for a potential confrontation with the United States and Israel as Washington surges naval assets into the region, according to a report from Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet Al-Akhbar.

The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford — accompanied by two destroyers — has intensified expectations of renewed maritime clashes near Yemen, a strategic chokepoint for global shipping. Houthi officials view the expanded U.S. naval presence as a direct threat to both Yemen’s national security and commercial traffic through the Red Sea corridor.

In a recent televised address, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that his forces are weighing escalation “if the enemy escalates again,” framing the moment as part of a broader regional struggle. He emphasized alignment with Iran and the so-called “axis of resistance,” and declared that Sanaa would not remain neutral in a widening conflict involving Washington and Jerusalem.

The rhetoric comes as U.S. Central Command — United States Central Command — confirmed the carrier strike group’s redeployment to the Red Sea, releasing images of sailors preparing bunker-busting munitions. That show of force has drawn sharp responses from Houthi-linked sources, who told Al-Akhbar the American buildup would be short-lived and vulnerable.

A Houthi source in Sanaa cited past confrontations involving the USS Harry S. Truman, alleging that earlier U.S. operations masked losses inflicted by Yemeni strikes — claims that remain unverified. The source predicted a renewed wave of attacks targeting U.S. warships across the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, warning that even the Indian Ocean could become a “danger zone” for American forces.

Mujib Shamsan, described as a military expert tied to Yemen’s defense establishment in Sanaa, said U.S. naval movements are under constant surveillance and suggested further attacks could come without warning. He argued that aircraft carriers — long viewed as the centerpiece of U.S. power projection — have become increasingly exposed in the face of evolving missile and drone capabilities.

The strategic stakes extend beyond immediate military posturing. Analysts aligned with the Houthis point to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as a potential flashpoint, with warnings that the group could attempt to disrupt one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes if hostilities escalate.

Unconfirmed reports circulating in Sanaa in recent days have claimed that clashes between the Ford strike group and Yemeni forces may already be underway. Neither U.S. officials nor Houthi authorities have publicly corroborated those accounts, leaving the situation opaque but increasingly volatile as both sides signal readiness for a broader confrontation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)