The Tehran-backed Yemeni Houthis have said they will not attack American ships in the Red Sea but will continue military operations against Saudi Arabia, as Iran awaits a US response on ending the conflict. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi Political Bureau, made the remarks in an interview with the Associated Press (AP).
Houthis draw line between US and Saudi
According to al-Bukhaiti, Washington contacted the Houthis after their rapid advance along Yemen’s western coast towards the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. “We confirmed that we are not attacking the United States or any other country in the strait, except for the Saudi enemy. This remains the case," he said.
Al-Bukhaiti also warned other countries against joining Saudi Arabia in the renewed civil war in Yemen.
US President Donald Trump had previously confirmed contacts between his administration and the Houthis and said the group did not seek to fight the United States.
According to the AP, a meeting between US and Houthi representatives took place in Oman last weekend. Al-Bukhaiti, however, confirmed only indirect contacts through Oman, which is acting as a mediator between the two sides.
Bab el-Mandeb will remain open
The Houthi representative also said the group did not seek to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. “The goal of our military operations is not to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but rather to ensure freedom of navigation through it for everyone, including Yemen," he said.
At the same time, al-Bukhaiti warned that the Houthis were prepared to widen the conflict if additional countries joined Saudi Arabia’s campaign.
“Today, Yemen is capable of waging battle — not merely an internal conflict, but an international one as well," he said.
The Houthi official said attacks on Saudi Arabia would continue until Riyadh lifted its decade-long blockade on rebel-held territories and allowed ships to access Houthi-controlled Red Sea ports. He said the group would then be prepared to negotiate.
Houthis claim 28 Saudi air raids
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, said the Saudi Air Force carried out 28 air attacks across Yemen in the past 24 hours. In a statement on X, Saree said the attacks hit the provinces of Taiz, al-Jawf and Marib. He added that the Saudi-led coalition had carried out at least 760 air attacks since the recent escalation began.
Houthis blame Saudi Arabia for escalation
Al-Bukhaiti blamed Saudi Arabia for the renewed fighting, saying it followed an airstrike attributed to the Saudi-led coalition that hit Sanaa International Airport and prevented an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing.
He said the flight was intended to challenge the coalition’s air and naval blockade.
The Houthis subsequently launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets, including a strike aimed at Riyadh on Saturday that was intercepted. Saudi authorities said debris from a Houthi drone killed one civilian and wounded others.
The rebels have also announced a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, and have targeted Saudi-linked vessels and oil infrastructure inside the kingdom.
2022 ceasefire
The latest escalation came after Houthi forces captured the key port city of Mokha and several strategic islands in the Red Sea, strengthening their ability to monitor traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The route normally carries around 12% of global trade.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, which retreated during the advance, have said they intend to regroup.
The fighting has effectively ended a 2022 ceasefire that had largely frozen Yemen’s civil war. The conflict began 12 years ago when the Houthis seized large parts of northern and central Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.
According to UN estimates, the war has killed at least 150,000 people and driven Yemen to the brink of famine.
Al-Bukhaiti argued that recent battlefield gains had shifted momentum in the Houthis’ favour. “Ultimately, (Saudi Arabia) lost its most critical card: the west coast," he said.
