HOUTHI THREAT: Iran-backed militants reportedly advance missile capabilities with China's help

>> Martha: AN EXCLUSIVE IN. "THE W WALL STREET JOURNAL". SUGGESTS THAT THE HOUTHIS ARE. BUILDING A MORE DANGEROUS. MISSILE ARSENAL WITH HELP FROM. CHINA. IT REPORTS CHINESE TECHNOLOGY. ARE HELPING THE IRAN-BACKED. TERROR GROUP DEVELOP MORE. ADVANCED WEAPONS INCLUDING. MISSILES THAT COULD GO FURTHER, STRIKE MORE PRECISELY AND ARE. HARDER TO INTERCEPT. NO WORD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP ON. THIS BUT HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO. SAY TO RALLYGOERS IN ALASKA.

>> President Donald Trump: WE. ARE VERY CLOSE TO WINNING. I THINK WE'VE WON. IRAN WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR. WEAPON. LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY. BUT THAT WILL END VERY SOON. THAT WAR IS GOING TO END VERY. SOON. >> Martha: RETIRED FOUR-STAR. GENERAL JACK KEANE IS HERE WITH. THAT BUT FIRST TO TREY YINGST IN. TEL AVIV. HI. >> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON. "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL". REPORTS THAT THE IRAN-BACKED. HOUTHIS IN YEMEN ARE BUILDING A.

MISSILE WITH CHINESE PARTS. THIS REPORT INDICATES THE. PRECISION GUIDED MISSILE THAT IS. BEING SUPPLIED TO THE HOUTHI. FORCES WAS PREVIOUSLY USED BY. IRAN AND IS KNOWN FOR BEING. CHEAP AND EASY TO TRANSPORT. THE REPORT RAISED QUESTIONS. ABOUT SUPPORT FOR IRAN AND ITS. PROXY FORCES AND COMES AS THE. YEMEN BASED HOUTHIS AND. SAUDI ARABIA TRADE HEAVY BLOWS. AFTER COMING UNDER MULTIPLE. MISSILE ATTACKS THEY LAUNCHED. NEW STRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI. CONTROLLED OIL FACILITIES AND. THEY THEN LAUNCHED FRESH STRIKES. ON BUILDINGS IN SAUDI ARABIA.

>> THE YEMENI ARMED FORCES. AFFIRMED THAT THEIR OPERATION. TOWARDS SAUDI WILL CONTINUE IN. THE COMING DAYS TARGETING ENEMY. AIRPORTS AND OIL FACILITIES AND. THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE SEVERE. FOR THE ENEMY. >> Reporter: THE PROXY. FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE AS. PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED A NEW. WARNING OVERNIGHT WHILE AT A. RALLY IN ALASKA. THE PRESIDENT SAID WE WILL DO A. NUMBER ON IRAN BUT DID NOT GO. INTO DETAIL ON WHAT THAT MEANS. SPEAKING ABOUT THE STRAIT OF. HORMUZ AND THE ONGOING U.S.

NAVAL BLOCKADE. >> THE STRAITS HAVE BEEN OPENED. AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING MORE OIL. OUT OF THE STRAITS NOW THAN WE. DID BEFORE THE WAR STARTED. BELIEVE IT OR NOT. WE CONTROL THE STRAITS. THAT'S WHY THE OIL STAYED WHERE. IT IS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT. IT WOULD BE HIGHER BUT I SAID NO. MATTER WHAT IT IS IT'S A SMALL. PRICE TO PAY FOR STOPPING THEM. FROM HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND. THOSE B-2 BOMBERS REALLY DID THE. JOB.

>> IRAN IS USING NEW TACTICS TO. TARGET VESSELS AND THE IRGC IS. REPORTEDLY USING UNARMED. SPOTTERS TO INCREASE THE. ACCURACY OF ATTACKS AND MULTIPLE. VESSELS HAVE BEEN N TARGETED WHE. TRANSITING THIS CRITICAL. WATERWAY. WITH ADDITIONAL ATTACKS ON. VESSELS JUST THIS MORNING THE. STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS EXPECTED.