Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, stated on Sunday, September 20, 2026, that the group has assured the U.S. government it will not target American vessels in the Red Sea. In an interview with The Associated Press, al-Bukhaiti said the Houthis are specifically targeting Saudi Arabian interests as a renewed civil war intensifies in Yemen. These comments follow a rapid advance by Houthi forces down Yemen's western coast to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month.
The contact between the two parties follows a series of military and diplomatic developments. President Donald Trump stated last weekend that his administration had held "discussions" with the Houthis, noting the group expressed a desire to avoid conflict with the U.S. While al-Bukhaiti confirmed indirect contact through Oman—a mediator that brokered a 2025 ceasefire—the AP reported that Oman hosted a meeting between U.S. and Houthi representatives last weekend, according to anonymous sources.
Al-Bukhaiti stated that Houthi operations aim to ensure freedom of navigation for all nations except Saudi Arabia. The group has warned other countries against joining Saudi Arabia in the conflict, claiming they have the capacity to wage an international battle. The Houthi official attributed the recent escalation to an airstrike blamed on the Saudi-led coalition on Sanaa international airport, which prevented an Iranian flight carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. In response, the Houthis have launched missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, including a Saturday attack on Riyadh that resulted in one civilian death and multiple injuries from falling debris according to Saudi officials.
For the people of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the collapse of the 2022 ceasefire marks a return to warfare that has already resulted in an estimated 150,000 deaths and severe food insecurity. Saudi citizens near the border and in major cities like Riyadh face the threat of drone and missile attacks, such as the one on Saturday that killed one person. In Yemen, the Houthi-controlled areas remain under a decade-long blockade, affecting the arrival of essential supplies through Red Sea ports. The rebels have stated that attacks on Saudi Arabia will persist until this blockade is lifted and vessels are allowed to reach Houthi-controlled ports.
The situation places the U.S. and regional powers in a diplomatic position as the 2025 ceasefire, which previously ended U.S. bombing campaigns against the Houthis, has been tested by the recent advances. With Houthi forces now controlling the western coast and key Red Sea islands, the rebels have greater ability to monitor the Bab el-Mandeb shipping lanes. While the U.S. has shown no current interest in military involvement, the outcome of the conflict remains tied to broader regional tensions, including stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have vowed to regroup, suggesting that military operations will continue in the near term.