Turner calls for tougher action against Houthis in Yemen amid new clashes

House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, called for the Biden administration to take tougher action against the Houthis after the U.S. Navy clashed with the Yemeni armed group in the Red Sea Sunday.

The Navy announced that it had killed multiple Houthi militants in clashes on Sunday after four ships attacked a merchant vessel that the military was assisting. Three of the ships were destroyed, and one fled.

«Well, what I think what's significant is the administration continues to not respond to the Houthi escalation in the area and look really to the operations that are going on in Yemen,» Turner told «This Week» co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

«I think the president absolutely has to look at what actions need to be taken in Yemen to be able to prevent the Houthis to continue to put commercial and military vessels at risk. The fact that president's not doing that is giving Iran a total pass and ability to operate with without consequences in the area,» Turner added, noting the Houthis' ties to Iran.

Houthi militants in Yemen, with assistance from Tehran, have been attacking merchant ships in the Middle East in what they claim is an effort to halt Israel's air and ground operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group says it is targeting ships with ties to Israel, though not all ships that have come under attack have any connection with the country.

The Pentagon has deployed several ships to the area to prevent such attacks, but President Joe Biden has been reluctant so far to respond directly to the Houthi assaults, seemingly to avoid escalating the conflict.

Karl also pressed Turner on whether the House would be able to pass legislation sending aid to Ukraine after Russia launched its latest drone and missile