DEVELOPING: Houthi missile threat ESCALATES as China faces new questions

>> Ashley: FIGHTINGESQUINGALATING BETWEEN. HOUTHIS AND SAUDIS, USING DRONES. AND BALLISTIC MISSILES. "WALL STREET JOURNAL" REPORT. HOUTHIS ARE BUILDING MISSILE. USING CHINESE PARTS RAISING. CONCERN ABOUT BEIJING IN THE. CONFLICT. JOINING ME IS JEFF SMITH FROM. HERITAGE FOUNDATION. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON TO TALK.

ABOUT THIS. YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE LATEST. STRIKES THAT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY. MORNING. THERE WAS ONE EARLIER THIS WEEK, AS WELL. WHEN DOES THE U.S. STEP IN? HOW LONG DO THEY LET THIS GO? >> Alex: GREAT QUESTION, HOUTHIS. CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE YOU CAN. CAUSE DAMAGE AND REEK HAVOC WITH. A LITTLE MISSILE CAPABILITY. IDEA THAT MAYBE THEY ARE GETTING. ABILITY TO BUILD MORE ADVANCED. BALLISTIC MISSILES AND THIS IS. COMING FROM CHINA IS DEEPLY.

CONCERNING. IT IS DEEPLY CONCERNING. THIS HAS BEEN AN ESCALATION RAMP. THE HOUTHIS HAVE BEEN GOING UP. BEGINNING WITH SATELLITE. INFORMATION FROM CHINA AND NOW. MISSILE PARTS AND TARGETING. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CHINA. IT RESULTED IN DEATH OF U.S. TROOPS. WE NEED TO DRAW A RED LINE. >> Ashley: WHY IS CHINA EVEN. GETTING INVOLVED? YOU THINK THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR. BOTTOM DOLLAR, ALL ABOUT MONEY. WITH CHINA.

THIS COULD DAMAGE THEIR ECONOMY. IF THEY GET TOO COZY WITH THE. HOUTHIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CHINA HAS TO. GAIN FROM IT? >> Jeff: IT HAS A FEW THINGS TO. GAIN FROM IT, IRAN HAS BEEN A. BIG PARTNER OF CHINA FOR MANY. YEARS. THE HOUTHIS ARE A PROXY OF IRAN. CHINA THROUGH IRAN HAS BEEN. HELPING HOUTHIS AND CHINA IN. SOME WAYS IS MEDDLING AND UNDER. MINING U.S. INTEREST AND FORCE. U.S. TO DIVERT RESOURCES.

ELSEWHERE. I DON'T BUY THAT THE CHINESE. STATE IS NOT AWARE OF THESE. ACTIVITIES AND THAT THESE ARE. ROGUE ACTOR S. IF THEY WERE MAKING OVERTHROW XI. JINPING PAMPHLETS THEY WOULD BE. IN A GULOG OR EXTERMINATED. IT IS A CHOICE NOT TO KNOW WHAT. IS GOING ON HERE?

>> Ashley: DO YOU THINK THIS IS. CHINA TRYING TO UNDER MINE THE. U.S.? >> I THINK THAT IS PART OF IT, MAYBE THEY ARE TRYING TO BUY OFF. THE HOUTHIS. I DON'T THINK IT IS A. COINCIDENCE. U.S. IS DIVERTING ATTENTION TO. THE REGION, YOU HELP IRAN AND. MAYBE BUY FREE PASSAGE FOR. CHINESE SHIPS TRANSITING THE. REGION. >> Ashley: WILL WE SEE MORE.

STRIKES ALL DAY EVERYDAY OR. EVERY WEEK? >> Jeff: I SURE HOPE NOT AND I. DON'T THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO. OPERATE LIKE THIS AND REALLY. THIS IS THE WORLD'S PROBLEM. YOU HAVE A ROGUE REGIME IN YEMEN. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY FIRING OFF. MISSILES INTO INTERNATIONAL. STRAIT, FIRING OFF MISSILES INTO. NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES CAUSING. ALL MANNER OF HAVOC. THE WORLD NEEDS TO UNITE AND. COME TOGETHER AND SAY ENOUGH IS. ENOUGH AND BEGIN IMPOSING COSTS. AND THAT WILL START WITH THE.

HOUTHIS SUPPLY CHANT AND WHAT WE. FIND IS MOST OF THE HOUTHI. MATERIAL IS COMING FROM CHINA. IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. >> Ashley: AND THEY WERE. CONSIDERING JOINING IN ON. STRIKES WITH SAUDI ARABIA. DO YOU THINK IT IS TIME THEY GET. INVOLVED AND HOW MUCH. INVOLVEMENT SHOULD THERE BE? >> Jeff: I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT. AN END TO THIS. I THINK STRIKES IS PART OF IT, DRYING UP THE FINANCES AND.

SUPPLIES TO THE HOUTHIS IS. REALLY GOING TO BE HOW WE ATTACK. THIS ON THE BACK END. HOUTHIS ARE SHOWING IF YOU HAVE. A COMMITTED GROUP THAT WANT TO. CAUSE CHAOS, IT IS NOT HARD TO. FIRE OFF A COUPLE MISSILE SAYS. YOU NEED TO GO AFTER SUPPLY ON. THE BACK END AND SQUEEZE PATRONS. AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE.