President Trump said on Wednesday that the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen would be “completely annihilated” by U.S. military strikes and warned Tehran to “immediately” stop supplying it with military equipment and general support and “let the Houthis fight it out themselves.”

His remarks, posted on social media, came as the U.S. military continued a wave of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen as part of what American officials said was an effort to stop the militant group’s attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

“Tremendous damage has been inflicted,” Mr. Trump said of the effects of the strikes, which began on Saturday. He added: “Watch how it will get progressively worse. It’s not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated!”

Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command posted a video showing American fighter jets shooting down Houthi attack drones. The military has been striking the group’s training sites, command centers and weapons facilities since the weekend in what it says is an attempt to restore freedom of navigation in regional waters.

The Houthis have been targeting Israel and attacking ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with the armed Palestinian group Hamas, which is also backed by Iran and led the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that set off the war in Gaza.

After Israel and Hamas agreed to a temporary cease-fire in January, the Yemeni militants suspended their campaign. But they vowed to resume attacks as truce talks faltered and Israel blocked humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip this month.

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