U.S. President Donald Trump says Yemen's Houthis have asked U.S. not to intervene

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks to U.S. embassy staff at Deerfield Residence in Dublin, Saturday (September 12, 2026). | Photo Credit: AP

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (September 12, 2026) that Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi fighters, who have seized a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia, have asked Washington not to intervene.

The Houthis have taken control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coast after capturing three strategic islands in a lightning offensive.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has relied on the area ever since Iran's Hormuz blockade choked off its shipments via the Gulf.

"The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us," Mr. Trump told reporters on a visit to Dublin, Ireland. "They don't want us to go after them." He added that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy" in the region.

Mr. Trump also mentioned having spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a "friend".

According to the U.S. outlet Axios, Mohammed bin Salman called Mr. Trump twice on Thursday (September 10, 2026) to request that the U.S. carry out strikes on the Houthis, but the American President declined. The Houthis also targeted Saudi Arabian oil facilities this week with a massive drone and missile attack.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.