Iran-backed Houthis claim NEW attacks on Middle East

SANDRA? >> Sandra: GOT IT. GILLIAN TURNER LIVE AT THE. STATE DEPARTMENT. >> John: BREAKING TODAY IRAN. STATE MEDIA REPORTS THE IRGC IS. THREATENING NEW STRIKES ON U.S. BASES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST. AS VICE PRESIDENT J.D. VANCE. SAYS ANY DEAL WITH TEHRAN MUST. INCLUDE A CUT IN IRAN'S NUCLEAR. ENRICHMENT. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HOUTHI. REBELS ARE THREATENED TO CLOSE. SAUDI AIRSPACE. LET'S BRING IN FORMER CENTCOM. COMMANDER AND RETIRED FOUR-STAR. GENERAL JOSEPH VOTEL. GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

LET'S TAKE THIS A PIECE AT A. TIME HERE FIRST OF ALL WITH. THESE RENEWED THREATS BY THE. IRGC TO ATTACK U.S. BASES. IN THE PAST, ATTACKS LIKE THAT. HAVE BROUGHT A FORCEFUL RESPONSE. FROM THE U.S. MILITARY. WHY WOULD THEY GO AHEAD AND. REPEAT THOSE THREATS AGAIN? >> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. IT MIGHT BE A RESULT OF THE. PRESSURE THE REGIME IS UNDER. IT'S VERY CLEAR NOW THAT THE. FINANCIAL CAMPAIGN THAT WE ARE. -- PRESSURE CAMPAIGN WE ARE.

RUNNING IS BEGINNING TO HAVE. SOME IMPACTS IT'S BEEN A WEEKS. NOW WITH A VERY EFFECTIVE. BLOCKADE AND THEY ARE STARTING. TO FEEL THE PRESSURE PRESSURE. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS THEY. CAN REDUCE THAT IN ONE OF THE. WAYS THEY CAN DO THAT I THINK IS. BY LAUNCHING STRIKES. >> John: LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT. THIS IDEA OF A CUT IN ENRICHMENT. AS NECESSARY TO END THIS WAR AS. J.D. VANCE WAS ARTICULATING. WE HAVE GONE FROM HARD AND FAST.

ZERO ENRICHMENT MONTHS AGO TO. NOW A CUT IN ENRICHMENT. ARE WE WALKING BACK OUR DEMANDS? >> I DON'T KNOW. THIS IS CERTAINLY A POLICY. DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO COME TO. TERMS WITH AND I THINK IT'S BEEN. PRETTY CLEAR ALL ALONG THAT IRAN. IS NOT A COUNTRY THAT CAN HAVE A. NUCLEAR WEAPON BECAUSE OF WHAT. THE THREATS THEY POSE TO THE. REGION AND MUCH MORE BEYOND. THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO. REALLY CLARIFY WHAT OUR.

OBJECTIVES ARE WITH RESPECT TO. THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM. MY UNDERERSTANDING IS NO WEAPON, NO NUKE. >> John: LET'S TAKE ON THE. HOUTHI PEACE. THEY CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST. SAUDI ARABIA. THEY'VE ATTACKED A COUPLE OF. AIRPORTS. SAUDI ARABIA THROUGH NEWFOUND. STRENGTH WOULD APPEAR HAS. MANAGED TO BEAT BACK THE HOUTHIS. IN PLACES LIKE MAJORCA ON THE. RED SEA. -- MOCHA ON THE RED SEA. TRYING TO MAKE SOME INROADS. AGAINST THE HOUTHIS BUT THEY ARE. NOT BREAKING DOWN THEY ARE --.

THEY ARE NOT BACKING DOWN. THEY ARE DETERMINED TO FACE. SAUDI ARABIA FACE-TO-FACE. >> THIS IRAN'S PROXY STRATEGY. WORKING G AS DESIGNED. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAD. INTENDED FOR THESE PROXIES TO. DO. THE TARGETING THAT THE HOUTHIS. ARE UNDERTAKING IS NOT FOCUSED. ON MILITARY CAPABILITIES IT'S. FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY. WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO, THE. TARGETS THEY'RE GOING AFTER THEY. ARE TRYING TO DRIVE UP PRICECES. TRYING TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE. ON THE SAUDIS AND SUBSEQUENTLY.

ON THE REST OF THE COALITION TO. RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE. THEY ARE PUTTING ON IRAN. THIS IS WHAT I THINK IRAN. INTENDED WITH THEIR PROXIES. THE ONE THE PRESIDENT WAS AT A. SHIPYARD IN MARYLAND WHERE HE. WAS TALKING ABOUT IRAN AND THE. STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND WHAT HE. SAID. >> THE ONLY SHIPS THAT GO. THROUGH ARE THE ONES WE LET GO. THROUGH. IT'S HAD A HUGE IMPACT HERE. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE A FAILED.

NATION. EVERYONE IS QUITTING. EVERYONE'S LEAVING. THEY ARE NOT PAYING THEIR. MILITARY. THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEIR POLICE, NOT PAYING ANYBODY. THEY ARE A MESS BUT WE HAVE TO. FINISH IT OFF. >> John: SAYING WE STILL HAVE. TO FINISH IT OFF HERE WHAT DO. YOU EXPECT "FINISH IT OFF". MEANS? A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OR. PERHAPS AFTER NOVEMBER 3RD, AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, A. RETURN TO KINETIC ACTIVITY IN A. WAY THAT FINALLY TOPPLES THE. REGIME? >> THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF. DIPLOMATIC EFFORT TO BRING THIS. TO A CONCLUSION.

THERE IS CERTAINLY A LOT THE. MILITARY CAN DO AND WE'VE GOT. GOOD CAPABILITY IN THE REGION. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL. USE IT IF WE ARE REQUIRED. BUT AS WE'VE SEEN HERE OVER THE. LAST MONTHS IT'S A COMBINATION. OF MILITARY PRESSURE, ECONOMIC. PRESSURE, DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE, INFORMATIONAL PRESSURE THAT'S. GOING TO GET US TOWARDS THE. SOLUTION. I THINK AT SOME POINT THIS HAS. TO BE A SOLUTION THAT'S ARRIVED. AROUND A TABLE AND NOT OFF THE. RAIL OF A FIGHTER JET OR OFF THE.

RAIL OF ONE OF OUR MARITIME. ASSETS. >> John: IRGC IS STILL NOT IN. THE MOOD TO SIT DOWN AND. NEGOTIATE WITH ANY KIND OF. SERIOUSNESS. WE'LL.