American officials met with Houthi leaders at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman, during the final days of last week. This meeting confirmed the U.S. decision not to intervene to assist Saudi Arabia in countering Houthi advances in Yemen.
Agreements and Concerns
During this meeting, the Houthis assured American officials that the ceasefire agreement between the two sides, signed in 2025, remains in effect and that the group has no intention of attacking American ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis clarified that only ships associated with Saudi Arabia are considered targets due to the blockade of Yemen by this country.
Read more: The U.S. Finalizes $2.8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel
These developments provide an explanation for the position of U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Houthi advances along the western coast of Yemen. Trump has deemed these advances a threat to freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, but has so far rejected any military response to Riyadh's requests. The United States is currently engaged in a costly and resource-intensive conflict with Iran, which supports the Houthis.
Pressure on Saudi Arabia and Reactions
The U.S. designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization in March 2025, but has previously held meetings with leaders of groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Jidi Vance, the U.S. Vice President, confirmed on Monday that the U.S. is in direct contact with the Houthis.
The U.S. reluctance to intervene directly has increased pressure on Saudi Arabia to either reach a diplomatic solution with the Houthis regarding the future governance of Yemen or to attempt to form a regional coalition with Pakistan and Turkey to counter the Houthis. In a rapid attack last week, the Houthis seized control of vast areas of western Yemen along the Red Sea coast.
Nabil Khouri, former Deputy Ambassador of the United States to Yemen, stated that a sort of "implicit understanding" has been established between the Trump administration and the Houthis. He added, "The Houthis have promised the U.S. government that American and international navigation in the Red Sea will not be affected, but the only threat is to Saudi ships or those carrying Saudi oil."
Saudi Arabia has made a controversial claim to garner public support against the Houthis in the region, alleging that the Houthis fired a drone towards the holy city of Mecca on Tuesday, but the missile was intercepted by Saudi defense forces. This claim was made in a statement attributed to the coalition spokesman, General Turki al-Maliki.
Saudi Arabia has declared that any attack on Mecca is a red line, and this action has been condemned in lengthy statements by the Yemeni government based in Aden as well as by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which consists of 57 countries. Additionally, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, described the act as "inhumane and ugly" and expressed regret over it.
The Houthi leaders, who are followers of Zaydi Shia and respect the pilgrimage to Mecca, dismissed the claim as the "lie of the century" and added that such old lies no longer deceive anyone. Abdulwahid Aburas, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Houthis, stated: "The one who has opened the land of the two holy places to corruption and entertainment and has polluted this land with the presence of Zionist Jews is the same one who attacks Mecca, Medina, and Islamic holy sites."
The Houthis also announced that they shot down a Saudi F-15 aircraft near Marib and attacked an Aramco facility in the port of Yanbu. Although no evidence has been provided for these claims, Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of the Houthi negotiating team, stated that the downing of this aircraft serves as a warning to the West not to fall for Saudi propaganda.
Mohammed Al-Farrah, a member of the Houthi political office, said: "The reality is that Saudi Arabia is facing a real dilemma in Yemen. This country is caught in war, blockade, and occupation and has been unable to achieve its goals. Now, Saudi Arabia is seeking external solutions and trying to garner international support while warning the world about Bab al-Mandab, while seeking support from Pakistan, Turkey, the U.S., Israel, and Egypt."
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have revealed details of a secret meeting between U.S., Israeli, and several Arab military commanders in Germany, where the war between Israel and the U.S. against Iran was discussed.
In Beijing, Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Wednesday to seek China's support for its future plans in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait has remained effectively closed due to separate blockades by Iran and the United States.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that China does not want further tensions in the region to spill over into Yemen and the Red Sea and calls for the U.S. to return to negotiations.
Read more: The Saudi-led Coalition Warns Against Attacks on Mecca · U.S. Energy Secretary: Saudi Oil Pipeline Will Return to Normal in a Few Days
