On Thursday, the United States diverted a destroyer to the Yemeni coast to protect shipping from Iranian-backed rebels, and is weighing tougher steps including drone strikes and deploying military advisers to assist local forces [bold mine-DL], according to officials familiar with the discussions.

"There's a desire to look at a very aggressive pushback" against Iran in Yemen within the administration, a source advising the Trump national security team said. Given the public rhetoric and private deliberations in the White House, the United States could "become more directly involved in trying to fight the Houthis" alongside Saudi and Emirati allies [bold mine-DL], said the source, who asked not to be named as he had not been authorized by the White House to comment.

President Donald Trump's aides see Yemen as an important battleground to signal U.S. resolve against Iran [bold mine-DL] and to break with what they consider the previous administration's failure to confront Tehran's growing power in the region.