US secretly met Houthis; group pledges not to attack US, Israeli ships
US-Houthi talks: Israeli ships spared, Saudi ships not
Washington secretly engaged in discussions with representatives of Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Oman, according to multiple sources. The meeting occurred at the US Embassy in Muscat, following the group's recent seizure of a strategic segment of Yemen's Red Sea coast. The Houthis pledged not to attack American or Israeli vessels, and would not impede commercial shipping, although Saudi ships were notably excluded from the commitment.
Although the State Department did not confirm the talks, it reiterated that safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and curbing Middle Eastern terrorism remain top US priorities. Despite the Houthis being designated as a "foreign terrorist organization" by the Trump administration in March 2025, the US reportedly engaged in negotiations with the group.
The recent talks occurred at a sensitive juncture, as the Houthis had recently taken control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, including the vital port of Mocha and Perim Island in the Bab Al Mandab Strait.
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