Washington, July 23 (QNA) - US President Donald Trump said that the United States would inflict "major military punishment" on Iran if Yemen's Houthi group continues attacking ships in the Red Sea.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said the United States would hold Iran directly responsible for any future Houthi attacks, describing the group as "a surrogate and/or proxy of Iran" in the region.

Trump also said he was "very disappointed" with the Houthis, adding that they had acted "very responsibly" and that they acted "very professionally and smart" during the conflict with Iran until recently, but had now resumed attacking commercial vessels.

He recalled that the United States had carried out powerful strikes against the group a year earlier after it interfered with maritime commerce, saying the campaign had led to a prolonged period of calm. Trump warned both the Houthis and Iran against repeating such attacks, saying the United States would act to prevent any disruption to vital shipping routes such as the Bab El Mandeb Strait.

Earlier today, a Saudi official from the General Authority for Transport announced that the Saudi-operated vessel Encelia had come under attack while sailing in the Red Sea, causing a fire to break out in the bow of the ship.

The official confirmed that all crew members were safe and said the relevant authorities had taken all necessary measures to secure the vessel, protect its crew, and safeguard the marine environment. The official added that such attacks constitute a violation of international laws and norms that guarantee the safety of commercial vessels and their crews. (QNA)