The United States has decided not to back Saudi Arabia in the ongoing conflict with Yemen’s Houthis, following a meeting between US officials and leaders from the Iran-allied rebel group in Muscat, Oman,
The Guardian reported.
During the meeting, the Houthis assured the US officials that the ceasefire agreement reached between the two sides in 2025 still held, adding that the movement did not intend to target US shipping in the Red Sea.
The Trump administration designated the Houthis a “foreign terrorist organization” in March 2025. However, Washington has negotiated with the group since, reaching a ceasefire in May last year.
The Houthi leaders confirmed that only Saudi-linked shipping was regarded as a target due to Riyadh’s blockade of Yemen, according to The Guardian.
Seven months into the US-Israeli war against Iran, West Asia faces a fresh flashpoint as the Houthis target multiple sites across Saudi Arabia, while also threatening shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the key shipping routes globally.
The decision came at a time when the US remains embroiled in an expensive war with Iran, as the conflict has triggered a global energy energy crisis with crude oil prices skyrocketing across the globe.
US Officials Met Houthis In A Secret Meeting
US officials met representatives of Yemen’s Houthis in Oman over the weekend, according to a Reuters report, citing five sources familiar with the matter.
The development came as the Iran-backed rebel group seized a strategic stretch of Red Sea coast, raising fears that another shipping route could be affected, especially amid the ongoing disruptions in the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting, which was held at the US Embassy in Muscat, was not made public, Reuters reported.
Saudi Arabia-Houthi Conflict
Saudi Arabia said Wednesday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca, one of the holiest Islamic cities and the site of annual Hajj pilgrimage. Air raid sirens sounded in Mecca for the first time in history.
Saudi military spokesperson Turki al-Malki called the safety of the holy sites and pilgrims as a “red line”, while also warning of measures against the Houthis.
The rebel group, however, denied targeting Mecca.
The Houthis last week seized control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline, including the historic port of Mocha, and Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb, threatening shipping through the vital waterway.
The Houthis have fought against a Saudi-led coalition for over a decade. Although tensions between the two sides had eased under a ceasefire in recent years, the conflict resumed in July when the Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea in response to Riyadh’s blockade of Yemeni ports.
