Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah on Friday, marking the latest escalation in a regional war pitting the United States and its allies against Iran and its proxies.
President Donald Trump said the United States remained "locked and loaded" for possible military action against Iran but indicated diplomacy was his preferred path if Tehran abandoned its nuclear ambitions. Trump said he reviewed options for intensifying strikes with top advisers and warned Iran it must either reach a deal or face far more severe attacks. He stated unequivocally that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon."
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were engaged in talks with Iranian interlocutors, Trump said, adding that China and Russia had signaled they would not intervene on Iran's behalf. Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned of retaliatory strikes against all U.S. military bases in the Middle East.