WASHINGTON - The United States and Iran exchanged new threats Sunday as attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis widened regional tensions, increasing concern about another round of U.S. military action even though no new American strike against Iran or the Houthis had been confirmed Sunday afternoon.

President Donald Trump told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst that he was in what he described as a deciding mode over Iran and indicated that the options he was considering ranged from reaching an agreement with Tehran to substantially escalating military action.

Trump also signaled that he would probably be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected in New York for the United Nations General Assembly this week. That leaves diplomacy formally possible even as the public rhetoric between Washington and Tehran grows more threatening.

Iran’s military responded Sunday by warning that any new American attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. bases and interests in the region. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said, according to Iranian state media and Reuters, that Tehran had received information suggesting the United States and some regional countries were preparing new military action.

The Iranian command did not publicly provide evidence supporting its claim that an attack was being prepared. No corresponding U.S. announcement confirming a new operation had been issued as of Sunday afternoon.

Houthi attacks add pressure

The latest exchange comes after a significant escalation involving Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh early Saturday. The Saudi-led coalition also said the Houthis attempted attacks against other Saudi locations including Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and the Farasan Islands.

The Houthis separately claimed missile and drone attacks against sensitive sites in Riyadh and Saudi energy infrastructure. Some of those claims have not been independently verified.

The attacks are significant because they extend the current conflict deeper into Saudi territory and increase pressure on Washington over whether it will provide additional military support to one of its closest regional partners.

Trump said Sunday that the United States remains in communication with the Houthis and that the group has agreed not to fight American forces. A senior Houthi official, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, separately told The Associated Press that the group had assured the Trump administration it would not target U.S. vessels in the Red Sea.

That understanding appears to remain in place despite the Houthis’ expanding conflict with Saudi Arabia. It also helps explain why renewed Houthi attacks do not automatically mean the United States will launch strikes against the group.

The United States and Houthi representatives held Oman-mediated discussions earlier this month, according to Reuters. The talks came after Houthi forces made major territorial gains along Yemen’s western coast and increased their influence around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important shipping route connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Iran warns U.S. allies

Iran’s military warning Sunday went beyond threatening American forces. Tehran said regional countries that participate in or facilitate a new U.S. attack could be treated as parties to the conflict.

That raises the potential consequences for countries hosting American troops, aircraft and military infrastructure across the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. State Department has already advised Americans to exercise heightened caution across the region. Its current Saudi Arabia advisory cites the risks of armed conflict, Iranian drone and missile attacks and threats from the Houthis.

The department has also warned that the security environment across the Middle East remains capable of changing quickly, potentially leading to flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.

The current confrontation follows months of direct U.S.-Iran hostilities. U.S. Central Command launched Operation Epic Fury in February, beginning a large-scale campaign against Iranian military and government targets. Fighting and economic pressure have continued in different forms since then, including disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and attacks involving Iranian-aligned armed groups.

Sunday’s threats therefore come within an existing military conflict rather than representing the beginning of a new confrontation.

No new U.S. attack confirmed

The most important distinction as of Sunday afternoon is between preparations, threats and actual military action.

Trump has publicly indicated that he is considering major options against Iran. Iran says it believes another attack may be coming and has threatened retaliation. The Houthis have meanwhile carried out or claimed attacks against Saudi Arabia.

But no new U.S. strike against Iran or the Houthis had been publicly confirmed during the latest reporting window.

U.S. Central Command had not announced a new strike Sunday, and the White House had not issued a formal statement announcing a change in U.S. military operations against Iran.

That makes the situation a significant developing national-security story, but not yet a newly confirmed military escalation by the United States.

Diplomatic opening remains

There are also signs that diplomatic channels remain active.

Trump’s willingness to potentially meet Pezeshkian during the United Nations gathering creates a possible opening for direct contact. Iran has separately communicated conditions for renewed negotiations through regional intermediaries, according to reports from the region.

At the same time, neither side has publicly indicated that it has accepted the other’s terms for ending the conflict.

The next major development could therefore come from several directions: a new U.S. military order, another Iranian or Houthi attack, a Saudi response, or diplomatic contacts surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.

For now, the confirmed development is an escalation in threats and regional military activity rather than a newly announced American strike. Whether that changes will depend on decisions in Washington, Tehran and other regional capitals in the coming hours and days.