US Halts Planned Strikes on Yemen's Houthis Amid Saudi Request and Regional Hesitation
Quick Look
- The US reversed a planned military strike on Yemen's Houthi rebels despite earlier acquiescence to Saudi Arabia's request for intervention, according to The New York Times citing anonymous officials.
- The Houthis have maintained control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and warned against foreign involvement, while Saudi allies Turkey and Pakistan advocate for diplomacy.
- The decision follows reported US ammunition shortages and skepticism about reengaging militarily after a prior cease-fire held.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels reignited in mid-July 2024, with the Houthis conducting strikes on Saudi sensitive sites and gaining control of Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The US previously conducted weeks of strikes against Houthi positions in late 2023 to restore Red Sea navigation, but declared a cease-fire after two months, citing Houthi promises not to attack US ships.
The US seems to be in no rush to bail out Saudi Arabia while renewed hostilities with Yemen’s Houthis are ongoing, RT’s Steve Sweeney reports from Beirut. The New York Times claimed over the weekend that US President Donald Trump had called off air strikes on the Shiite militant group at the last minute.
The conflict between Riyadh and the Houthis reignited in mid-July, with the armed group recently conducting strikes on several “sensitive sites” across Saudi Arabia, including the main airport in the capital. Earlier this month, the organization, officially known as Ansarullah, established control over Yemen’s Red Sea coast, taking positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on the key waterway for its oil exports since navigation through another strategically important maritime chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, was reduced to a trickle amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
After a phone call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, Trump initially seemed to acquiesce to his request for help in deterring the Houthis’ advances in Yemen, the NYT cited anonymous US officials as saying. However, on Sunday, as the US military was supposedly all set to bomb selected targets in Yemen, the American president reversed his decision, the publication reported.
The US carried out weeks of strikes on the Houthis’ positions last year, with the stated goal of restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea as well as stopping attacks on commercial vessels and American warships there.
Less than two months into the campaign, Trump announced a cease-fire, saying that Ansarullah had promised not to attack US ships. According to the NYT, the Houthis have kept their word, with Trump’s advisers now “deeply skeptical” about reengaging the Shiite group militarily once again, especially given reported ammunition shortages incurred as a result of the conflict with Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s regional allies Türkiye and Pakistan apparently have little appetite to join the fray either, despite being bound by the recently sealed Mecca defense pact, and are calling for a diplomatic solution instead.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have explicitly warned other countries against getting involved in their conflict with the Saudis. Speaking to AP on Sunday, the group’s spokesperson, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, said that Ansarullah was “not targeting the United States, or any other nation, in the strait, with the sole exception of the Saudi enemy.” At the same time, he stressed that the Houthis were prepared to fight on multiple fronts, if necessary.
Watch RT correspondent Steve Sweeney’s full report from Beirut below:
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The US will avoid renewed military strikes on Houthi positions in the near term due to ammunition shortages and skepticism among Trump's advisers.
Likely · Within weeks
Saudi Arabia will continue to seek diplomatic or limited military support from regional allies rather than unilateral action.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific ammunition shortages are affecting US military readiness?
- Will Saudi Arabia pursue unilateral military action without US support?
- How will Turkey and Pakistan's diplomatic stance influence regional efforts?
- Are the Houthis likely to honor their pledge not to target US or non-Saudi vessels?
