{
  "id": 8845990,
  "title": "US President Donald Trump says was ready to strike Houthis in Yemen, then pulled back",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/us-president-donald-trump-says-was-ready-to-strike-houthis-in-yemen",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T05:08:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FXStreet",
    "slug": "fxstreet",
    "url": "https://www.fxstreet.com/news/us-president-donald-trump-says-was-ready-to-strike-houthis-in-yemen-then-pulled-back-202609210508"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a recent development, US President Donald Trump experienced a shift in opinion regarding potential military action against the Houthis in Yemen, as reported by the New York Times. Initially, Trump had expressed reluctance to launch strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, according to sources close to the administration. However, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's persistent advocacy for American intervention compelled Trump to reconsider. In response to these pressures, Trump briefly directed the Pentagon to prepare for potential military action, only to later retract his decision. The situation escalated after the Houthis launched a ballistic missile at Riyadh, which was successfully intercepted by Saudi forces. This incident, coupled with the group's alleged attacks on sensitive sites in the capital, prompted heightened international concern. Meanwhile, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil experienced a slight decline, dropping 1.74% to $93.60, reflecting the broader market's sensitivity to geopolitical developments.",
  "summary": "US President Donald Trump reversed himself twice on whether the United States (US) should strike the Houthis in Yemen, according to the New York Times.",
  "key_points": [
    "US President Donald Trump initially opposed military strikes against Houthis in Yemen.",
    "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pressured Trump to reconsider military action.",
    "Trump briefly directed Pentagon to prepare for strikes before retracting decision."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The US pullback from potential military action against Houthis in Yemen suggests Trump's initial hesitation overrode pressures from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at least for now.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "Axios: Trump and Zelensky agree to meet in New York as U.S. president again asks Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/axios-trump-and-zelensky-agree-to-meet-in-new-york-as-u-s-president",
        "published": "2026-09-21T06:15:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Houthis mark 2014 Yemen revolution as Saudi strike back",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/houthis-mark-2014-yemen-revolution-as-saudi-strike-back",
        "published": "2026-09-21T06:32:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Targets approved, bombs loaded & then Trump blinked: Why US pulled back from Houthi strikes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/targets-approved-bombs-loaded-then-trump-blinked-why-us-pulled-back",
        "published": "2026-09-21T06:45:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "No, yes, then no again: Trump's flip-flop on striking Houthis despite loaded bombs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/no-yes-then-no-again-trumps-flip-flop-on-striking-houthis-despite",
        "published": "2026-09-21T08:06:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Yemen's Houthis are upending the Gulf order. The Saudis are the biggest losers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/yemens-houthis-are-upending-the-gulf-order-the-saudis-are-the-biggest",
        "published": "2026-09-21T09:36:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}