Spotlight ANALYSIS Houthi Red Sea threat would challenge a stretched US military Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart Reuters Jul 22, 2026 Jul 22, 2026 Updated Aug 28, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Trump downplays threat of Houthi blockade in the Red Sea kAm(p$wx}v%~} — p w@FE9: E9C62E E@ :>A@D6 2 ?2G2= 3=@4<256 282:?DE $2F5: pC23:2 :? E96 #65 $62 4@F=5 D:8?:7:42?E=J H:56? E96 xC2? H2C 2?5 DEC2:? 2 &]$] >:=:E2CJ 2=C625J 7@4FD65 @? DE@AA:?8 %69C2?VD 2EE24<D 24C@DD E96 C68:@?[ 4FCC6?E 2?5 7@C>6C &]$] @77:4:2=D D2:5]k^AmkAm*6>6?VD xC2?\2=:8?65 w@FE9:D D2:5 |@?52J E96J H@F=5 ?@E 2==@H D9:AD E@ =@25 @C F?=@25 2E $2F5: A@CED[ A@E6?E:2==J 3=@4<:?8 $2F5: @:= 6IA@CED 2?5 49@<:?8 @77 2? 255:E:@?2= fT @7 8=@32= @:= DFAA=J]k^AmkAm$2F5: pC23:2[ H9:49 9@DED &]$] 7@C46D[ 92D ?@E J6E C6BF6DE65 >:=:E2CJ 2DD:DE2?46 7C@> (2D9:?8E@?] qFE %CF>A DF886DE65 =2DE H66< E92E 2 >@G6 3J E96 8C@FA E@ @3DECF4E D9:AA:?8 :? E96 #65 $62 — 2 G:E2= 4@CC:5@C 7@C 8=@32= EC256 — 4@F=5 5C2H E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D :?]k^Am People are also reading… Smyth enrollment report shows elementary school is home to most students Smyth schools receive about $9.4M in grants for projects at CHS, MSHS Food City's investment in new Marion store exceeds $15M Despite opposition, concerns about rights, Marion council adopts loitering ordinance 7 Smyth schools to benefit from security funding Chilhowie Apple Festival to celebrate USA's 250th Virginia Voices: Lieutenant Governor gets to know Wytheville 1,374 pages: Smyth School Board receives study of school buildings' needs A look at Smyth board's OK of data center zoning regs Keys to victory in Virginia Tech football's road opener against Maryland Smyth man accused of forging military document Grant program that's helped Wythe, Smyth farmers now accepting applications No mercy: Smyth prosecutor, victim's nephew fight murderer's parole Friday Night Lights: Rural Retreat Farmers Market to expand opportunities Feels Like Home: Lewis' Country Store prepares to open in Chilhowie kAmQx7 D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E92E 92AA6?D[ H6V== E2<6 42C6 @7 :E] (6VG6 5@?6 E92E H:E9 E96 w@FE9:D 367@C6[Q %CF>A E@=5 C6A@CE6CD @? %F6D52J]k^AmkAmu@C E96 &]$] >:=:E2CJ[ :E >2J ?@E 36 D@ D:>A=6]k^AmkAm%96 w@FE9:D 92G6 62C?65 2 C6AFE2E:@? 2D 92C56?65[ ?:>3=6 7:89E6CD H9@ DF446DD7F==J C6D:DE65 62C=:6C $2F5: 2?5 &]$] 3@>3:?8 42>A2:8?D] %2<:?8 E96> @? H@F=5 >62? DEC6E49:?8 p>6C:42? C6D@FC46D 2=C625J 7@4FD65 @? 7:89E:?8 xC2? 2?5 >2:?E2:?:?8 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6DV @H? 3=@4<256 @7 xC2?:2? A@CED :? E96 vF=7]k^Am kAmQ*@FVC6 3:7FC42E:?8 J@FC 25>:EE65=J 72:C=J C@3FDE C6D@FC46D :? E96 C68:@? 36EH66? EH@ 24E:G6 7C@?ED[Q D2:5 y2D@? r2>A36==[ 2 7@C>6C D6?:@C !6?E28@? @77:4:2=]k^Am kAmr2>A36==[ ?@H H:E9 E96 |:55=6 t2DE x?DE:EFE6[ 25565 E92E 255C6DD:?8 E96 #65 $62 E9C62E 4@F=5 >62? D9:7E:?8 &]$] H2CD9:AD 7C@> E96 vF=7 4=@D6C E@ *6>6? E@ 2==@H E96 >:=:E2CJ E@ 42CCJ @FE @A6C2E:@?D 282:?DE E96 >:=:E2?ED 2?5 5676?5 282:?DE w@FE9: >:DD:=6D]k^AmkAm%96 A@DD:3=6 6?ECJ @7 E96 w@FE9:D :?E@ E96 4@?7=:4E :D 2?@E96C 6I2>A=6 @7 9@H E96 H2C \ 7:CDE A:E4965 3J %CF>A 2D 2 7@4FD65 3@>3:?8 42>A2:8? E92E H@F=5 EC:886C xC2?VD 42A:EF=2E:@? \ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 6G@=G6[ H@CD6?:?8 2 A@=:E:42= 96252496 7@C E96 &]$] AC6D:56?E]k^Am kAmp?5 :7 &]$] }2GJ G6DD6=D 2?5 2:C4C27E 92G6 E@ DE2CE D9@@E:?8 5@H? w@FE9: 5C@?6D 2?5 >:DD:=6D[ :E 4@F=5 2=D@ H@CD6? H92E 6IA6CED H2C?65 2C6 5:>:?:D965 DE@4<A:=6D @7 &]$] >F?:E:@?D 2?5 2:C 5676?D6 :?E6C46AE@CD]k^Am kAm%96 !6?E28@? 5:5 ?@E C6DA@?5 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E]k^Amk9am#6D:=:6?E w@FE9:Dk^9amkAm%96 w@FE9:D 92G6 366? C6>2C<23=J C6D:=:6?E E9C@F89 J62CD @7 3@>3:?8 3J 2 $2F5:\=65 pC23 4@2=:E:@?[ H9:49 EC:65 F?DF446DD7F==J E@ 4CFD9 E96 >@F?E2:? 7:89E6CD H9@ 2C6 E96 56 724E@ 2FE9@C:EJ @G6C >F49 @7 *6>6?[ 2?5 >@C6 C646?E :?E6?D6 &]$] 3@>3:?8 42>A2:8?D]k^Am kAmQ%96 w@FE9:D 92G6 AC@G6? >2?J E:>6D :? E96 A2DE E92E E96J 92G6 E96 23:=:EJ 2?5 H:==:?8?6DD E@ @3DECF4E >2C:E:>6 EC277:4 :? E96 #65 $62 2?5 E96 q23 6=\|2?563 DEC2:E[Q D2:5 |:4926= |F=C@J[ 2 7@C>6C 56AFEJ 2DD:DE2?E D64C6E2CJ @7 5676?D6 7@C E96 |:55=6 t2DE 5FC:?8 %CF>A’D 7:CDE E6C>]k^Am kAm&?56C y@6 q:56?VD 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 4@?5F4E65 2:C DEC:<6D 282:?DE w@FE9: E2C86ED E@ <66A @A6? E96 4CF4:2= #65 $62 EC25:?8 C@FE6] %CF>A :?E6?D:7:65 E92E 677@CE =2DE J62C[ 3@>3:?8 E96 w@FE9:D H9@ 925 366? 7:C:?8 2E &]$] H2CD9:AD 2?5 4@>>6C4:2= G6DD6=D @77 *6>6?VD 4@2DE]k^Am kAmtIA6CED 36=:6G6 ?6:E96C 42>A2:8? 6?565 E96 8C@FAVD 23:=:EJ E@ E9C62E6? D9:AA:?8]k^AmkAmqFE =2DE J62CVD EH@\>@?E9 24E:@?5:5 56>2?5 D:8?:7:42?E &]$] 7:C6A@H6C[ :?4=F5:?8 EH@ 2:C4C27E 42CC:6CD[ @E96C H2CD9:AD[ 7:89E6C ;6ED 2?5 DEC2E68:4 2:C4C27E DF49 2D E96 q\a 3@>36CD]k^AmkAm(9:=6 E96 &]$] >:=:E2CJ :D E96 36DE 7F?565 :? E96 H@C=5[ :E DE:== 7246D C6D@FC46 4@?DEC2:?ED[ @77:4:2=D D2J[ H:E9 >2?J @7 E96 DJDE6>D =:<6=J ?66565 7@C *6>6? 4FCC6?E=J 36:?8 FD65 :? E96 H2C :? xC2?]k^Am kAmQ(6VC6 AC6EEJ 3FDJ 2=C625J[Q @?6 @77:4:2= D2:5[ ?@E:?8 E92E D@>6 H2CD9:AD 925 DA6?E =@?86C E92? FDF2= 2E D62 3642FD6 @7 E96 9:89 E6>A@ @7 @A6C2E:@?D[ 7:CDE :? E96 r2C:3362? 2?5 ?@H :? E96 |:55=6 t2DE]k^AmkAm{@?86C E92? 6IA64E65 56A=@J>6?ED H62C @? D6CG:46 >6>36CD] $9:AD 6G6?EF2==J ?665 E@ C6EFC? E@ A@CE 7@C >2:?E6?2?46]k^AmkAm|@C6 E92? a_ &]$] }2GJ H2CD9:AD 2?5 9F?5C65D @7 &]$] >:=:E2CJ 2:C4C27E 2C6 ?@H @A6C2E:?8 :? E96 |:55=6 t2DE] p55:E:@?2= 7@C46D 2C6 962565 E@ E96 C68:@? E@ 96=A H:E9 E96 xC2? 4@?7=:4E[ 2 D64@?5 &]$] @77:4:2= D2:5]k^Am kAm%92E 4@F=5 =:>:E H92E :D 2G2:=23=6 7@C 2 4@?7=:4E ?62C *6>6?[ H9:49 @77:4:2=D D2J H@F=5 C6BF:C6 D:8?:7:42?E ?2G2= 2?5 26C:2= C6D@FC46D[ 2?5 H@F=5 5:G6CE &]$] :?E6==:86?46 C6D@FC46D[ 8:G6? E96 ?665 E@ A:?A@:?E w@FE9: 42A23:=:E:6D E92E >2J 92G6 492?865 D:?46 =2DE J62C]k^Am kAm|2C< r2?4:2?[ 2 C6E:C65 &]$] |2C:?6 @77:46C 2E E96 r6?E6C 7@C $EC2E68:4 2?5 x?E6C?2E:@?2= $EF5:6D[ 28C665 E92E 2 D64@?5 7C@?E :? E96 #65 $62 H@F=5 DEC6E49 &]$] ?2G2= 7@C46D]k^AmkAmqFE[ 96 25565[ E96 w@FE9:D H@F=5 7246 E96:C @H? 492==6?86D 86EE:?8 C6DFAA=:65[ 8:G6? E96 @?8@:?8 3=@4<256 @7 xC2?[ H9:49 92D 366? E96 8C@FAVD >2:? DFAA@CE6C]k^Am kAmQ%96 &]$] 3=@4<256 :D ?@E `__T 67764E:G6 3FE :E :D 9:89=J 67764E:G6] pD 2 C6DF=E[ E96 w@FE9:D >2J 36 92C5 AC6DD65 E@ 4@?E:?F6 2 42>A2:8? 7@C =@?8[Q r2?4:2? D2:5]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story US says it reached nuclear power deal with Saudi Arabia It would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and reprocess nuclear waste, potential pathways to making a nuclear weapon. Watch Now: Related Video El Niño threatens California beaches, homes and coastal roads TikTok drops appeal against UK fine for allowing underage users on platform TikTok drops appeal against UK fine for allowing underage users on platform Trump-Xi Summit Ends Without Major Breakthroughs Trump-Xi Summit Ends Without Major Breakthroughs US: Xi leaves White House after concluding talks with Trump. US: Xi leaves White House after concluding talks with Trump.
US says it reached nuclear power deal with Saudi Arabia It would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and reprocess nuclear waste, potential pathways to making a nuclear weapon.
