Houthis warn countries against joining Saudi Arabia in renewed Yemen fighting

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have cautioned other nations against aligning with Saudi Arabia in the ongoing conflict, asserting their own capability to engage in combat across various fronts. Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, informed the Associated Press that the group had assured the previous U.S. administration that they would refrain from targeting U.S. vessels sailing through the Red Sea.

The Houthis' assurances were reportedly conveyed indirectly through Oman. Al-Bukhaiti stated that the Houthis would persist in their attacks on Saudi Arabia until Riyadh lifts its blockade on Houthi-controlled territories and allows vessels to access ports under the control of the group. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited New York on Sunday and will pass through Qatar on his way to the UN General Assembly, according to Iranian state media. The situation in the Middle East has seen heightened tensions between Iran and the United States.