Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s Hudaydah Port on Monday, responding to a ballistic missile attack by the Iran-aligned Houthi group that landed near Israel’s main international airport the previous day, injuring six people.
on Tuesday, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on for Israel to escalate its response by targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure, while also maintaining pressure on the Houthis in Yemen.
“To my friends in Israel, do what you have to do to protect your airspace and your people. It is long past time to consider hitting Iran hard. It wouldn’t take much to put Iran out of the oil business,” Graham stated in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
His remarks came shortly after President Donald Trump announced in the Oval Office that the U.S. would cease its military campaign against the Houthis. Trump explained that the group had reached out on Monday night, following a nearly two-month-long bombing campaign led by the United States, reports Newsmax.
“They said please don’t bomb us anymore, and we’re not going to attack your ships,” the president said. “I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.”
Graham welcomed the Houthis’ pledge to avoid attacking American vessels but warned of continued aggression toward Israel.
“As to the Houthis continuing to attack Israel — they do so at Iran’s own peril,” he said. “Without Iran, the Houthis do not possess the capability to attack America, international shipping or Israel.”
The senator has consistently advocated for a hardline stance against Iran and has encouraged President Trump to support Israeli military actions targeting the Islamic Republic.
During a March 4 appearance on Fox News with Brian Kilmeade, Graham dismissed the likelihood of any diplomatic agreement with Iran preventing its pursuit of nuclear weapons. He stated there is “zero chance” that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would relinquish his nuclear ambitions.
In February, Graham headed a bipartisan Senate delegation to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their discussions focused primarily on the threat posed by Iran.
“Iran with a nuke is a nightmare for the Jewish state; it’s a nightmare for the world because Arabs will want a nuclear weapon of their own, and you’ll have a nuclear arms race,” Graham told reporters during the visit.
He also warned, “[Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] and his regime are hell-bent on three things: purifying Islam in their own image … destroying the Jewish state and driving every Westerner out of the Mideast.”
“So every decision I make as a senator in this region is to make sure their nuclear ambitions are never met,” Graham added.
