Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's announcement serves as the latest salvo by the Trump administration aimed at Iran since the president pulled the U.S. out of their landmark nuclear agreement on May 8. | Getty Treasury Department unveils sanctions on 5 Iranians

The Treasury Department on Tuesday unveiled fresh sanctions on five Iranians it said provided military expertise to Houthi rebels in Yemen "on behalf" of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

The action comes less than two weeks after Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles into Riyadh, the Saudi capital, an assault that authorities said was intercepted.


In a statement announcing the sanctions, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the "United States will not tolerate Iranian support for Houthi rebels who are attacking our close partner, Saudi Arabia."

"All countries in the region should be on guard to prevent Iran from sending its personnel, weapons and funds in support of its proxies in Yemen," he added.

The move serves as the latest salvo by the Trump administration aimed at Iran since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of their landmark nuclear agreement on May 8.

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Trump announced he would pull the U.S. out of the deal while vowing to impose the “highest level” of economic sanctions on Tehran, dealing a grievous blow to the signature agreement struck by his predecessor, President Barack Obama.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Monday that the U.S. will impose the "strongest sanctions in history" on Iran if its government did not alter its behavior.

"We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the regime," Pompeo said during remarks at the conservative Heritage Foundation, his first major public policy address. "The leaders in Tehran will have no doubt about our seriousness."

In announcing Tuesday's sanctions, the Treasury Department said the U.S. remains committed to "taking action to neutralize Iran’s campaign of regional aggression." The department added that attacks by Houthi rebels serve to "exacerbate the conflict in Yemen."

The United Nations Security Council has condemned attacks by the rebel group on Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, saying that a separate series of attacks on March 25 "pose a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a wider threat to regional security.”