Houthis say they will not target US ships after Trump cancels strikes

A senior official of Yemen’s Houthi movement said that Washington contacted the group after the militants advanced toward the strategic Bab el‑Mandeb strait, a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The outreach, the official added, came as the Houthis pressed their offensive in the region, prompting concerns in the United States and its allies about the security of international shipping lanes.

U.S. media reports indicate that President Donald Trump called off a series of planned airstrikes against Houthi positions at the last minute, following a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The cancellation, attributed to the diplomatic exchange, underscores the interplay between U.S. military planning and Saudi diplomatic pressure as the conflict in Yemen continues to affect regional stability and global trade.