Awakening The Beast

We learn in a report from The Jerusalem Post that the Houthis rebels in Yemen will be getting more military attention from the US:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the United States would conduct "unrelenting" strikes against the Houthis in Yemen until the militant group ceases their military actions targeting US assets and global shipping.

Hegseth made it clear that the attacks would continue until the Houthis stop terrorizing ships:

Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, hours after the Trump administration launched strikes against the Iran-backed Yemeni terror group, Hegseth said the campaign was a response to the scores of attacks the Houthis have launched on ships since November 2023 and served as a warning to Iran to stop backing the group.

"This will continue until you say 'We're done shooting at ships. We're done shooting at assets,'" Hegseth said, adding that the US had no interest in the Yemeni Civil War. 

“We don’t want a long, limited war in the Middle East," he continued. "This is about stopping the shooting at assets in that critical waterway to reopen freedom of navigation, which is a core national interest of the United States."

He also sent a message to Iran:

He ended his response with a direct message for the Islamic Republic. 

"Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long. They better back off."

Iran seems to think we’ll buy that they don’t tell the Houthis what to do:

In response, Hossein Salami, the top commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said the Houthis took their own decisions.

He then made is also known that if Iran is provoked they will not sit idly by either:

"We warn our enemies that Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats," he told state media.

However, according to reporting from The Jerusalem Post, there is reason to believe that Iran is backing away from its terror proxy group. 

So which is it? Iranian reports also say they have nothing to do with the Houthis:

Iranian state media reported on March 16 that “the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami said that Yemen’s Houthi “resistance movement makes its decisions independently.”

Another US cabinet member highly doubts that Iran isn’t helping the Houthis:

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered Salami's assertions in a Sunday interview with CBS News's Face the Nation.

"There's no way the... Houthis would have the ability to do this kind of thing unless they had support from Iran. And so this was a message to Iran: don't keep supporting them, because then you will also be responsible for what they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping."

Poking the new bear isn’t going to turn out well for the Houthis or Iran.

You’ve Been Warned

In a couple of articles we’re told that the days of Hamas stalling and using the hostages as way to prolong the war are coming to an end. We read about world leaders now demanding that all the hostages be released in a report from The Media Line:

Addressing Middle East instability, the G7 ministers called unequivocally for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, condemning the group’s violent actions, including the October 7, 2023 terror attacks against Israel. The joint statement also condemned Hamas’ treatment of hostages, specifically criticizing the use of “handover ceremonies” as violations of dignity.

The seven diplomats actually agreed to all these things which their respective country leaders have up until now vacillated on. They were a little weak on other topics:

In a notable shift, Secretary Rubio supported sections of the G7 statement calling for resuming unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza and for creating a political horizon to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This marks a departure from the Trump administration’s recent positions, including backing Israel’s recent decision to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza, and silence on settler violence and Palestinian political aspirations. However, the joint statement avoided explicit mention of a two-state solution, possibly softened at the request of the State Department.

And in a report from i24news.tv we hear from the US Middle East Envoy who reminds Hamas to see what is happening with the Houthis now:

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff threatened Hamas after the terror group suggested a counteroffer to his ceasefire proposal, he told Jake Tapper on CNN on Sunday. 

Witkoff made it clear that a military solution is in the offing unless Hamas decides to change their tune:

"What happened with the Houthis yesterday ought to inform as to where we stand with the regard to terrorist actions," he said, referring to the massive US-led attack on the Iranian-backed terrorists in Yemen on Saturday. "I would encourage Hamas to get much more sensible than they have been."

He is trying hard and putting in the time to see changes, but Hamas isn’t willing to bend:

This comes after Witkoff said he spent "close to seven and a half hours at the Arab Summit," which were marked by "really positive conversations." Despite the "game-changing" possibility of advancing forward with the ceasefire and hostage release deal, he slammed Hamas's response, which Witkoff said was "totally unacceptable."

Witkoff thinks a deal can be reached, but he hints that the window for the deal is shutting quickly:

The talks dealt with bridging the gap between the sides for the release of five US-Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, including Edan Alexander, the only one believed to still be alive.

Witkoff said that Hamas has an opportunity before them, "but the opportunity is closing fast."

With the offensives against the Houthi rebels in Yemen the US is letting them and Hamas know that a new sheriff is in town and things they got away with before won’t work now. Unfortunately for them, they still think they can drag things out. The eagle is going to land on them sooner than later.