US delegation held talks with Houthi representatives in Oman
At a meeting at the US embassy in Oman, Houthi delegates pledged not to target US and Israeli ships near the Bab el‑Mandeb strait while fighting in Yemen continues.
18 September 2026 — Sime Nedevsky. Representatives of the United States administration held direct talks with Houthi delegates in Oman as fighting in Yemen intensified, and the Houthi side reportedly made assurances about shipping in the southern Red Sea.
The meeting took place at the US embassy in Oman, and Houthi representatives pledged that they would not attack American and Israeli vessels in the strategically vital Bab el‑Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden, according to diplomatic sources in Riyadh.
Earlier, the Houthi movement had announced a "blockade" of Saudi ships and subsequently attacked or forced several Saudi vessels to alter course.
Saudi attacks and fallout
Saudi Arabia has faced renewed attacks from across its southern border after the latest escalation in Yemen. In the city of Taif, about 100 kilometres from the holy Muslim city of Mecca, authorities reported one person killed and two others wounded in an alleged Houthi strike; buildings and vehicles were also damaged, the civil defence said.
Officials describe the Taif casualty as the first known fatality in Saudi Arabia since the recent uptick in hostilities that began several weeks ago; during the decade‑long civil war in Yemen, civilians inside Saudi territory have been killed or injured in past attacks.
Riyadh has sought additional military support from the United States to bolster its defences, and American representatives informed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the talks held with Houthi delegates.
The Houthis say Saudi warplanes have continued to strike targets inside Yemen. Houthi Al Masirah TV reported that two people were wounded in an attack on a telecommunications tower in Taiz province. Fighting between Houthi forces and the internationally recognised Yemeni government remains intense in Taiz and in other provinces including Marib, Al Jawf and Hajja.
The pledge regarding vessels in Bab el‑Mandeb comes as the strait remains crucial for international shipping through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and any disruption there carries wider implications for maritime traffic and regional security.
Photo: press material from the event
