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The European Union imposed a 890 million euro ($1 billion) antitrust fine on Google on Thursday, accusing the tech giant of violating the bloc’s digital competition rules by using Google Play and its dominant search engine to steer users toward its own products and services at the expense of rivals.

The penalty marks the latest in a series of aggressive actions by European regulators targeting major technology companies. Brussels has positioned itself at the forefront of global efforts to curb the market power of some of the world’s biggest tech firms, including companies based in Silicon Valley and China.

The crackdown comes despite growing tensions with President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticized the European Union’s digital regulations. His broader disputes with the 27-member bloc have included imposing steep tariffs, threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark by force, and raising concerns about the future of the NATO alliance.

Trump has previously warned that the United States could retaliate if European regulators continue imposing heavy penalties on American technology companies.

The latest decision follows Google’s recent defeat in its appeal against a separate $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the European Union over allegations that it used the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress competition and limit consumer choice.

Announcing the latest penalty, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm and chief antitrust authority—said its investigation concluded that Google’s practices harmed competition and reduced options for consumers.

“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Google strongly rejected the ruling. Kent Walker, the company’s President of Global Affairs, denounced the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” and argued that the decision would ultimately hurt both European businesses and consumers.

Walker also criticized the EU’s Digital Markets Act, saying it forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

The European Union classifies seven of the world’s largest technology companies as digital “gatekeepers” because of their control over key online platforms. Those companies include Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Defending the enforcement action, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the rules are intended to preserve fair competition and consumer choice across the digital marketplace.

“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported $403 billion in revenue in 2025.

A massive search operation is underway in Ashkelon after a 4-year-old boy disappeared near the city’s Hofit Beach on Thursday, prompting police to launch an intensive land, sea, and air search amid fears for his safety.

Large numbers of Israel Police officers, joined by volunteers, marine police units, divers, and an aircraft from the police air unit, have spent hours combing the area for Yuval Kogan, a 4-year-old Ashkelon resident who vanished near the shoreline. Authorities have classified the case as that of a high-risk missing child and are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help locate him.

The search began shortly after the child was reported missing early Thursday afternoon, Tishah B’Av. Given Yuval’s young age and the fact that he disappeared near the water, police immediately launched an extensive emergency response, treating the incident as a life-threatening situation.

As the hours passed and concerns mounted, police significantly expanded the search effort, bringing in additional emergency personnel and specialized units. The operation has grown into a large-scale, coordinated effort involving multiple rescue agencies working together to locate the missing child as quickly as possible.

Searches are being conducted simultaneously on land, at sea, and from the air. A police helicopter is surveying the coastline and nearby open areas from above, while marine police officers and specially trained police volunteer divers are searching the water and surrounding beaches using advanced operational and technological equipment to determine whether the child may have entered the sea.

Meanwhile, officers from the Ashkelon Police Station, together with dozens of civilian volunteers, are conducting meticulous searches along the beach, nearby buildings, walking paths, and surrounding public areas. Investigators are also attempting to reconstruct the child’s possible movements and gather any witness accounts or evidence that could provide clues to his whereabouts.

Police have released a description of Yuval in hopes that members of the public will recognize him. He is described as having a slim build with brown hair and was last seen wearing a green shirt.

Authorities stressed that even seemingly insignificant information could prove vital in locating the child and ensuring his safe return.

Israel Police are urging residents of Ashkelon, beachgoers, and anyone who may have been in the area to remain vigilant. Anyone who has seen Yuval, observed someone matching his description, or has any information that could assist in the search is asked to immediately contact the police emergency hotline by dialing 100 or call the Ashkelon Police Station directly at 08-677-1440.

Thousands of Jews have gathered at the Kosel this evening as Tisha B’Av concludes. As the sun sets and the fast is about to end, crowds have joined in singing.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that any U.S. civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia will move forward only if the kingdom agrees to join the Abraham Accords, making normalization with Israel a key condition for the proposed deal.

In a post on social media, Trump stressed that the proposed agreement would be limited exclusively to peaceful nuclear energy and would prohibit uranium enrichment.

“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.”

Trump also emphasized that the United States has no objection to civilian nuclear energy programs that do not involve enrichment capabilities.

“The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he concluded:

The president has repeatedly urged additional Middle Eastern nations to join the Abraham Accords, the landmark normalization agreements first brokered during his administration. In May, he again called on more countries in the region to become part of the initiative as negotiations with Iran continued to advance, Breitbart News reported.

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, initially brought the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain into formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The coalition later expanded to include Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Sudan.

Trump has specifically encouraged Saudi Arabia and Qatar to take the lead by entering the accords, arguing that nations unwilling to normalize relations with Israel should not expect to participate in any future peace agreement involving Iran.

While attending the G7 summit in June, Trump told Breitbart News and other media outlets that he believes additional Arab countries will soon join the Abraham Accords. He praised the original participants as “very smart countries” and noted that none withdrew from the agreement despite the recent conflict with Iran.

At the same time, several media reports citing anonymous administration officials have indicated that the Trump administration has been exploring a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to a Breitbart News report published Wednesday, those discussions are at “varying stages of approving a deal to share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia.”

“The Saudi news agency Al-Arabiya reported on various of these claims in American establishment media, including a report by the Wall Street Journal that Trump had already formally approved a nuclear agreement with the country and one by Reuters stating that the Trump administration was planning to seek congressional approval for the deal. The White House at press time has not commented on the reports, nor has the Saudi government,” the outlet said.

A new petition is urging Britain’s Labour government to return a portrait of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to its longtime place inside 10 Downing Street, arguing that the official residence should preserve the nation’s history regardless of the political views of the government currently in power.

The controversy began shortly after Labour won the 2024 general election, when then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ordered the portrait of the Iron Lady removed from the Thatcher Room, the office she used as her study during her years at Number 10.

At the time, Starmer rejected accusations that the decision was politically motivated, explaining that he simply preferred not to work beneath portraits of former leaders. He said he disliked “pictures of people staring down at me” and instead favored landscape paintings. Critics, however, pointed to the fact that Chancellor Rachel Reeves later displayed a portrait of Communist Party of Great Britain co-founder Ellen Wilkinson in her own Downing Street office.

With Starmer having left office after just over two years as prime minister, the Margaret Thatcher Centre says the time has come to restore the portrait to its original location. The charitable organization, which promotes the legacy and principles of Baroness Thatcher, has launched a public petition calling for the painting’s return.

The petition specifically seeks the reinstatement of Richard Stone’s portrait of Thatcher—painted after Britain’s victory in the Falklands War—to the Thatcher Room at 10 Downing Street. It also calls for future governments to adopt a policy ensuring that portraits of former prime ministers remain on display “as a matter of historical record,” rather than allowing them to be removed “according to the preference of the incumbent.”

“Number 10 is not a private residence. It is the working seat of government and a building held in trust for the nation, in which the record of those who have faithfully served is properly displayed. The portraits that hang there are not endorsements of a programme. They are an acknowledgement of office, and of history. Gordon Brown understood this when he commissioned a painting of a Prime Minister drawn from the opposing party,” the centre argued.

The organization further contended that removing Thatcher’s portrait from the very room named in her honor undermines Britain’s historical record and opens the door for future prime ministers to selectively erase the legacy of their predecessors.

“To remove the likeness of the first woman ever to lead this country from the room that bears her name is to treat our history as a matter of personal comfort. It sets a precedent by which any future occupant of Number 10 may quietly edit the record of those who came before. It also denies a new generation the sight of a woman who reached the highest office in the land at a time when no woman had done so before.”

The Centre also emphasized Thatcher’s historic place in British politics, noting that she not only became the nation’s first female prime minister but also served longer than any other prime minister during the twentieth century.

According to the organization, Thatcher’s time in office transformed Britain through major domestic and international achievements.

During her tenure, the Centre said, she “led the country to victory in the Falklands, led this country to victory in the South Atlantic, restored its standing among the nations of the world, and gave millions of families the dignity of owning their own homes, and gave millions more a stake in the economic future of the country through privatisation.”

“She remains one of the towering figures of our national life,” the charity proclaimed.

The petition arrives as newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham begins his tenure. Although Burnham has not expressed the same dislike of portraits as Starmer, he has long made opposition to Thatcherism a central feature of his political identity.

In his first national address on Monday, Burnham argued that Britain’s current economic challenges stem from policies enacted by Thatcher’s government during the 1980s rather than from the decisions of more recent administrations.

Even so, the Thatcher Centre pointed out that Burnham has also pledged to improve the tone of British politics and move away from partisan “point scoring.”

“Here is a modest but telling opportunity to do precisely that. Returning the portrait would cost the public purse nothing. It would require no legislation and no inquiry. It would simply affirm that the office of Prime Minister stands above the party that happens to hold it, and that the achievements of Baroness Thatcher belong to the nation rather than to a storeroom,” the charity said.

“We do not ask the Prime Minister to share her convictions. We ask him to honour the office she held with such distinction, and the history she made in holding it.”

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a resolution Thursday seeking to halt U.S. military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes them, delivering a symbolic rebuke to President Donald Trump as the conflict continues to escalate and uncertainty grows over its ultimate direction.

The measure passed by a 214-208 margin and requires congressional approval before further military action can proceed. The Senate was expected to consider similar legislation later Thursday. Although the resolutions are unlikely to become law, Democrats said they are intended to send a clear message that support for the war is eroding on Capitol Hill as lawmakers from both parties increasingly question the administration’s long-term objectives.

Arguing in favor of the measure on the House floor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict.

The war has had “no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal,” said Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat who led the resolution on the House floor.

The resolution succeeded after a small number of Republicans joined Democrats in voting to curb the military campaign. Most Republicans, however, opposed the measure, backing the continuation of the war and supporting Trump’s authority to direct military operations.

Trump has maintained that the ongoing U.S. strikes against Iran do not represent a return to a prolonged war or an open-ended military campaign.

American airstrikes have continued despite little visible progress in diplomatic efforts. At the same time, both Washington and Tehran have remained entrenched in their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane that remains largely closed.

The continuing conflict has also fueled concerns over the global economy, driving fuel prices higher as the United States heads toward this fall’s midterm elections.

During Wednesday evening’s House debate, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., honored the 18 American service members who have been killed since the conflict began by reading each of their names aloud.

“To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members gave their life for,” Mast said. “Their sacrifice was not meaningless. This operation is bringing reckoning for the hundreds of times Iran has attacked and killed people of the United States of America.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, countered that presidents have an obligation to seek congressional approval before taking the nation to war.

The service members who died made the ultimate sacrifice for “an illegal unauthorized war that the American people don’t want,” Meeks said.

As lawmakers in both chambers prepared to vote on the war powers resolutions, the United States continued launching waves of airstrikes against Iranian targets amid the ongoing struggle over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict’s economic toll has continued to mount. Gasoline prices have climbed once again, while War Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators during Tuesday’s hearing that the United States has spent approximately $37.5 billion on the war to date. On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of four American service members during a dignified transfer ceremony.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat leading the Senate’s war powers effort, argued that the mounting casualties and financial costs make congressional oversight increasingly urgent.

“I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs — I think it’s important that people be held accountable,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who is leading the Senate effort on Thursday. “And this is a very unpopular war.”

{Matzav.com}

CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently held a high-level meeting in Washington with newly appointed Mossad Director Roman Gofman to discuss the ongoing conflict with Iran and diplomatic efforts surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, according to two sources familiar with the discussions cited by Axios.

The visit was Gofman’s first to the U.S. capital since taking over as head of Israel’s intelligence agency in June. It took place just before tensions in the Strait of Hormuz sharply increased and renewed fighting erupted across the Middle East.

According to the Axios report, a key purpose of Gofman’s trip was to coordinate with the White House on negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. During his visit, he met not only with Ratcliffe but also with senior White House officials, the sources said.

The report added that Ratcliffe had emerged as one of the leading skeptics within President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran. Before the agreement was finalized, Ratcliffe reportedly cautioned that Tehran might interpret several of its provisions differently than Washington, particularly those concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported that neither the CIA nor the Mossad responded to requests for comment regarding the meeting.

Gofman officially became director of the Mossad on June 2 after legal challenges delayed his appointment. During the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gofman’s primary mission would be to ensure Iran no longer posed a threat to Israel and declared that the Iranian “regime of terror will pass from this world.”

The reported intelligence meetings come as Trump and Netanyahu continue evaluating their next course of action in the confrontation with Iran.

Axios also reported Wednesday that Trump and Netanyahu have discussed the possibility of meeting in the Oval Office next week, although no final decision has been made. Netanyahu is expected to be in Washington to attend the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., creating the possibility that the trip could include White House discussions.

According to Axios, American and Israeli officials are currently weighing two principal options: pursuing a renewed ceasefire initiative designed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or expanding joint military operations against Iran should diplomatic efforts collapse. Israeli officials told the outlet they are preparing for the possibility of a wider conflict but would join military operations only if Iran attacks or if the United States formally requests Israel’s participation.

The White House has not confirmed any plans for a meeting between Trump and Netanyahu. Axios added that both the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Israel’s Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is significantly increasing the American military footprint across the Middle East, broadening the range of options available for potential action against Iran as the conflict enters its fifth month and Tehran continues threatening international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the deployments, the United States has either dispatched or placed on heightened alert additional special operations forces, fighter aircraft, long-range bombers, aerial refueling planes, and more than 150 medical personnel throughout the region.

The expanded military posture comes in the wake of the deaths of four American service members in recent Iranian attacks and amid ongoing discussions within the Trump administration over possible additional military operations.

On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command announced that it had completed a twelfth straight day of strikes inside Iran, saying the operations are intended to weaken Tehran’s ability to threaten civilian vessels and commercial shipping in regional waterways.

The Pentagon declined to comment on specific force deployments, citing operational security concerns, while the White House emphasized that Trump “always has all options at his disposal.”

Trump also warned that the United States would retaliate forcefully if Iran targets ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that America would destroy “one bridge or power plant” for every attack carried out by the Islamic Republic against maritime traffic.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by warning that any U.S. strike against Iranian infrastructure would provoke a “powerful and decisive response.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio likewise cautioned Iran against attempting to dominate one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.

“If we create a precedent … where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent,” Rubio said during a summit in the Philippines.

The Journal reported that the expanded American military presence could also strengthen operations against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, who have recently threatened to blockade Saudi shipping routes in the Red Sea.

Those concerns intensified Wednesday after two Saudi oil tankers were reportedly struck by projectiles near the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint, highlighting the growing risks facing global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, Congress moved to reinforce the military effort by advancing additional defense funding. The Republican-controlled House approved a $95 billion budget framework that allocates approximately $73 billion for military and intelligence programs while also passing its version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the conflict has so far cost an estimated $37.5 billion.

Despite the mounting financial burden, Trump and senior administration officials have maintained that sustained military pressure is essential to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s traded oil normally passes.

Likud MK Moshe Saada said Thursday that Israel appears to be drawing closer to a military strike against Iran, suggesting that an operation could begin as soon as this weekend, as government agencies and municipalities intensified preparations for a possible security escalation.

Speaking during a live interview on Channel 14, Saada addressed the growing tensions with Iran and said military action may be imminent.

During the interview, he said: “We all know that we’re approaching a strike on Iran-perhaps even this weekend. Those are the current assessments.”

As concerns over a potential confrontation mounted, several municipalities announced they were opening public bomb shelters in anticipation of possible developments. At the same time, the Health Ministry said Israel’s healthcare system is fully prepared to respond to any scenario resulting from a deterioration in the security situation.

The ministry stated that it continues to conduct regular situational assessments while closely monitoring events. It also reported that the National Hospitalization Authority met on Thursday to review preparedness measures and ensure that hospitals and the broader healthcare system are ready for any escalation. Coordination with hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) across the country is ongoing.

The Health Ministry stressed that it remains in close coordination with the Home Front Command, the defense establishment, and all relevant healthcare bodies to guarantee uninterrupted medical treatment and the continued delivery of healthcare services regardless of how events unfold.

Officials added that any new directives or public updates will be released as necessary and urged Israelis to follow only official instructions issued by the authorized authorities.

Israeli intelligence agencies have uncovered and foiled an Iranian plot to smuggle a terrorist cell into Israel to assassinate senior government officials, according to a Mossad announcement made Thursday. The operation was disrupted through a joint effort involving the Mossad, the Shin Bet, and multiple foreign intelligence services.

The Mossad said the attempted operation was orchestrated by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, which sought to establish an operational terror cell inside Israel that would ultimately carry out assassinations of high-ranking Israeli officials.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the plot was stopped through close cooperation between the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and intelligence and security agencies from several allied countries.

The Mossad said Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, together with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has spent years directing a worldwide terror campaign against Israeli and Jewish targets. The agency noted that those efforts have intensified in recent months, with an increased focus on carrying out attacks within Israel itself.

The intelligence agency further revealed that dozens of terror cells tied to Iran have been dismantled in recent years. It also said investigators have uncovered multiple attempts over the past two years by the Iranian regime to recruit Israeli citizens to perform missions on its behalf.

According to the statement, the terror scheme depended on criminal proxy organizations that recruited individuals who could legally enter Israel, initially to collect intelligence and later to carry out terrorist attacks. International intelligence cooperation ultimately exposed both the network itself and the Iranian intelligence officers directing the operation.

The Mossad identified Thérot Ozkor, who used the alias “Philip” and had been residing in France, as the individual chosen to establish the operational terror cell made up of foreign nationals and facilitate its infiltration into Israel. According to the agency, he was recruited by two criminal intermediaries—Baba Mahu-Zadeh Haji Jafan, known as “Babak,” and Mahmat Nadim Yiğit, known as “Nadim”—both of whom live in Iran and operate under the supervision of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

Investigators determined that “Philip” traveled to Iran on several occasions, where he met directly with his handlers and was paid for advancing the operation. International intelligence efforts also traced Babak and Nadim to senior officials within Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, identifying their handlers as Asadollah Behzad Oskhari, Vahid Matzoumi, Mohammad-Hossein Zoghi, and Hamid Ghasemi.

According to the Mossad, Behzad Oskhari was a key figure in directing Iranian terrorist operations against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide. The agency said he was killed during Operation Rising Lion.

The statement also disclosed that French authorities expelled “Philip” because of his involvement in planning the terrorist operation. Meanwhile, Babak and Nadim remain in Iran and continue to be sought by intelligence agencies around the world.

The Mossad and Shin Bet concluded by reaffirming their commitment to working alongside international partners to identify and prevent terrorist and espionage operations targeting Israeli and Jewish interests, both inside Israel and abroad, while pursuing all those responsible.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli was wounded today in the second stabbing attack to strike Samaria in a single day, as a terrorist stabbed a man near Ganim before being shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

The victim sustained a moderate leg injury in the attack, which occurred near Ganim in northern Samaria on Thursday afternoon. Security forces at the scene neutralized the assailant shortly after the stabbing.

Preliminary findings indicate that the attack took place at a recently established post in the Ganim area, where preparations are underway for the re-establishment of the permanent community in the near future.

Authorities said the terrorist drove to the location during a logistical operation taking place at a nearby outpost. After stabbing the Israeli victim, two soldiers on the scene opened fire, killing the attacker.

The incident marked the second terrorist stabbing in Samaria on Thursday. Earlier in the day, an Israeli was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack at Avraham Farm near Elon Moreh while helping extinguish a fire that had broken out in the area.

President Donald Trump says he is weighing what could become the largest US military strike against Iran to date, warning that Tehran has not yet suffered enough consequences while also threatening severe retaliation if Iran’s Houthi proxies resume attacks on commercial shipping.

Speaking to Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Trump said he is seriously considering a military operation that would eclipse any previous action taken against Iran.

“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said.

Trump also revealed that Israel would participate in the operation if he requested its involvement, though he emphasized that the United States is fully capable of carrying out the strikes on its own without Israeli assistance.

Commenting on renewed efforts to restart negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, Trump dismissed the prospect of diplomacy for now, arguing that the Iranian regime has not “received enough pain yet.”

Earlier in the day, Trump also issued a stern warning that Iran would be held directly accountable if the Houthi terrorist organization resumes attacks on civilian shipping.

“A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He concluded with a direct warning to Tehran, making clear that any future Houthi attacks would trigger a military response against both the terrorist group and its Iranian backers.

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart,” he said.