US President Donald Trump has been vacillating on his strategy in Yemen, The New York Times reported on Sunday. He has been under pressure from Saudi Arabia to take action against the Houthis, who have been making significant gains in the country. The Houthis have staged a lightning offensive in recent weeks, taking control of the country's entire Red Sea coast. This has left the Saudi-backed government scrambling to respond.
According to The New York Times, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Sunday to urge him to intervene and help blunt the Houthi advance. Trump had initially told his advisers that he opposed strikes on the Houthis but changed his mind after the call. He instructed the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis. However, by midday Sunday, Trump had apparently reversed his decision again.
The New York Times reported that commanders had approved target lists, troops were loading bombs onto US warplanes, and the wave of attacks was about to begin when Trump pulled back from striking the Houthis. This decision came as a surprise to many, given the significant pressure from Saudi Arabia to take action against the Houthis. US news platform Axios reported that Trump had already refused a Saudi request to strike the Houthis last week.
In a separate development, Fox News reported on Sunday that Trump had said the Houthis have agreed not to hit US targets. This statement was not verified by other sources, but it suggests that Trump may be exploring diplomatic options to resolve the conflict. The war in Yemen began in 2014 with the Houthi capture of the capital Sanaa and had been largely frozen since 2022 but resumed in July.
The conflict in Yemen is part of a broader war in the Middle East, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The Islamic republic responded with attacks around the region, drawing in other countries. Saudi Arabia has been fighting the Houthis for years, but its allies have made little progress in defeating the group on the ground.
Trump's decision to pull back from striking the Houthis reflects the complexities of the conflict and the challenges of finding a solution. The US has been involved in the conflict, and Trump's administration has been working to find a way to end the war. The US Treasury chief recently said that Iran airlines would be "shut down" on September 23, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the region.
The situation in Yemen remains fluid, with the Houthis continuing to make gains and the Saudi-backed government struggling to respond. The international community is working to find a solution to the conflict, with Egypt, Sudan, and US officials discussing ways to end the Sudanese war on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The conflict in Yemen is a key part of this broader regional conflict.
Key points
- Trump reversed his decision on airstrikes against Houthis in Yemen.
- The Houthis have agreed not to hit US targets, according to Trump.
- The conflict in Yemen is part of a broader war in the Middle East.
