Houthis Assure US They Will Not Target American Ships in Red Sea

Tensions in West Asia have escalated amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Against this backdrop, Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti has said the group has assured the US that it will not target American vessels in the Red Sea. He also warned other countries against joining Saudi Arabia in the renewed conflict in Yemen. According to reports, US officials had communicated with the Houthis through Oman-mediated discussions following their advance towards the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Al-Bukhaiti said the group does not intend to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, and claimed that freedom of navigation should be maintained. At the same time, he warned that the Houthis could expand the conflict if other countries join Saudi Arabia against them. The developments come as Houthi attacks on Saudi targets and fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast have added pressure on regional shipping and energy routes.