Secret Oman Talk, Houthis Have a Message for the US as Saudi Arabia Comes Knocking

The United States is not planning direct military intervention to help Saudi Arabia fight Yemen Houthis for now, while continuing to provide Riyadh with intelligence sharing and targeting assistance, according to Reuters. The development follows a confidential meeting between US officials and representatives of the Iran aligned Houthi movement at the US Embassy in Muscat, Oman. The talks were reportedly facilitated by Oman, which has previously played a mediating role between the side. According to sources cited by Reuters, Houthi representatives assured US officials that they had no intention of attacking American vessels and said they remained committed to the ceasefire reached with Washington in 2025. The Houthi delegation reportedly included senior officials Mohammad Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajiri. A Yemeni source told Reuters that the Houthis also indicated they would not target Israeli ships or other commercial vessels, with the reported exception of vessels linked to Saudi Arabia. Former US deputy ambassador to Yemen Nabeel Khoury described the situation as a kind of tacit understanding over navigation in the Red Sea, while stressing that Saudi-linked shipping remained at risk. The reported discussions come as the security situation around Yemen and the Red Sea has sharply deteriorated. The Houthis have made significant territorial gains along Yemen western coastline, including the capture of the strategic port of Mocha and nearby areas around the Bab el-Mandeb maritime chokepoint. The advances have increased pressure on Saudi Arabia, whose forces and Saudi backed Yemeni allies have faced renewed Houthi attacks. Reuters reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had sought US military assistance, but Washington has so far stopped short of authorising direct strikes against the Houthis. Instead, the US has continued to provide intelligence and targeting support to Riyadh. The approach reflects Washington effort to assist its Saudi partner while avoiding direct military involvement in another front of the wider regional conflict. The reported US Houthi contact is notable because Washington designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organisation in 2025. Despite that designation, the two sides negotiated a ceasefire in May 2025 after a period of US military strikes against Houthi targets over attacks affecting Red Sea shipping. US President Donald Trump has also said that the Houthis contacted his administration and asked Washington to stay out of the Yemen conflict. Vice President JD Vance subsequently confirmed that Washington was in direct contact with the group, without providing details of the discussions. For Saudi Arabia, the situation presents a complicated security challenge. Riyadh is confronting Houthi attacks while the group has expanded its presence near the Bab el-Mandeb, a crucial route for international shipping and energy exports. Reuters has reported that the recent escalation has also raised concerns about the wider impact on oil supplies and maritime trade. The Oman meeting therefore adds a diplomatic dimension to an increasingly complex conflict, Washington is maintaining communication with the Houthis while supporting Saudi Arabia through intelligence and targeting assistance, but has so far avoided committing American forces directly to the fight.