Daniel Wolfram
This comes after Trump ordered strikes on the Houthis, but then reversed that decision hours later.
The militant group the Houthis from Yemen escalated violence over the weekend in Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea.
There is a report that Saudi Arabia pleaded with President Donald Trump to help out with a coordinated response, which he originally agreed to, but then backed out of just hours later.
In return, the Houthis have now given the US a guarantee.
Safe passage promised
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have assured American officials that United States ships can pass through the Red Sea without fear of attack.
Senior Houthi official Mohamed al-Bukhaiti revealed to The Associated Press that Washington reached out earlier this month. The contact followed the group’s capture of key coastal towns and islands near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
“We confirmed that we are not targeting the United States, or any other nation, in the strait, with the sole exception of the Saudi enemy,” al-Bukhaiti told the AP. “That remains the case.”
Pressure from allies in the Middle East
The diplomatic communication marks a notable shift in how Washington handles the Yemeni militant group. President Trump has been hesitant to strike against the Houthis, even with personal pleas from Saudi Arabia.
The New York Times reported that Trump initially prepared to order airstrikes against the rebels in Yemen after speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday.
By Sunday, however, the administration changed course and reversed their original decision just hours after planning strikes.
A broader conflict
The decision contrasts sharply with previous White House actions. Last year, the administration bombed the Houthis for two months straight during a conflict after they attacked American ships in the Red Sea.
Those military plans made major headlines when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accidentally shared them in a Signal chat with a journalist from The Atlantic.
Since then, the US has entered a ceasefire with the Houthis. Furthermore, US military resources are tied up in the War in Iran amid reports of a munitions shortage.
