US officials met Houthi leaders in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend and decided not to intervene to help Saudi Arabia push back a Houthi advance in Yemen, the Guardian reports.
Key facts
- US officials met Houthi leaders at the US embassy in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend.
- The US decided not to intervene to help Saudi Arabia drive back a Houthi advance inside Yemen.
- The Houthis said a 2025 ceasefire with the US still holds and they have no intention of attacking US shipping in the Red Sea.
- The Houthis said only Saudi-linked shipping is regarded as a target, citing Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen.
Officials from the United States met Houthi leaders over the weekend at the US embassy in Muscat, Oman, according to the Guardian. The meeting led to a US decision not to intervene to help Saudi Arabia drive back a Houthi advance inside Yemen.
During the talks, the Houthis reassured the US that a ceasefire agreement struck between the two sides in 2025 still held, the Guardian reported. The armed group, which the Guardian describes as Iran-backed, said it had no intention of attacking US shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthis said that only Saudi-linked shipping was regarded as a target, citing Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen, according to the Guardian. The distinction appears central to the understanding reached between the movement and the Trump administration over the safety of Red Sea shipping.
The Guardian reported that the armed group appeared to have reached an agreement with the Trump administration over the security of Red Sea shipping routes, a waterway critical to global trade.
The reporting indicates a shift in the US posture toward the conflict, with Washington opting to stay out of a fight between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia inside Yemen. No further details of the terms or any wider commitments were provided in the source material.
The confirmed meeting in Oman follows the ceasefire the Guardian says was reached between the US and the Houthis in 2025. Beyond the assurances on Red Sea shipping and the decision not to back Saudi Arabia’s push, the sources do not set out additional outcomes from the talks.
Why it matters
The Red Sea is one of the world's most important shipping corridors, and assurances over its safety affect global trade. A US decision to stay out of the fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia signals a notable shift in Washington's approach to the Yemen conflict.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the US officials meet the Houthi leaders?
According to the Guardian, US officials met Houthi leaders at the US embassy in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend.
Did the Houthis threaten US shipping?
No. The Guardian reports the Houthis said they had no intention of attacking US shipping in the Red Sea, and that only Saudi-linked shipping was regarded as a target owing to Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen.
What did the US decide about Saudi Arabia?
The Guardian reports the US decided not to intervene to help Saudi Arabia drive back a Houthi advance inside Yemen.