US ‘not looking for conflict’ with Iran: White House

WASHINGTON (AFP): The United States does not seek conflict with Iran despite carrying out strikes on Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi militia to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping, the White House said Friday.

“We’re not looking for conflict with Iran. We’re not looking to escalate and there’s no reason for it to escalate beyond what happened over the last few days,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC.

“That said… we know that Iran supports the Houthis. We know that they’re supplying them with the missiles and the drones, the same things they’ve used to attack shipping.

“And we have made it very clear Iran should stop that support.”

The Houthis said on Friday that US and British interests are now “legitimate targets” after the strikes, which US President Joe Biden said were designed to end their ability to attack ships.

But the White House spokesman warned the Houthis against responding.

“I’d point them to the last sentence in the president’s statement last night, which is that he reserves the right, and will not hesitate, to take further action,” Kirby said.