Trump hopes Iran war nearing end as Houthi-Saudi fighting escalates

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“They want to make a deal. We’ll see how that works ‌out,” ⁠U.S. President Donald Trump said, referring to Iran, reiterating past comments. File | Photo Credit: AP

U.S. President Donald ​Trump said he hoped an end to the war against Iran was near, as the conflict, in its seventh month, escalated with ‌Saudi aircraft pounding Yemen and Houthi fighters launching drones and missiles at Saudi cities.

Also read: Why Yemen’s Houthis have only grown stronger through years of war

The Iran-backed Houthis' ​lightning advance in Yemen along the Red Sea and their attacks on Saudi Arabia, along with attacks ⁠that damaged Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, have extended Tehran's reach in the war and heightened global oil-supply risks.

As the war expands into a new theatre, the United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from travelling within 30 ‌km (20 miles) of the Yemen border.

Still, just hours after reports of the Houthis and Saudi Arabia fighting, Mr. Trump told reporters on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) evening: "Well, hopefully we are towards the end of the war."

"They want to make a deal. We'll see how that works ‌out," ⁠he said, referring to Iran, reiterating past comments. Mr. Trump also said he had heard from Iran "directly", without ⁠elaborating.

Mr. Trump has offered shifting goals and timelines for the war that began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran struck Israel and U.S. bases in Gulf states.

The extension of the war into Yemen threatens to worsen the global energy-supply shortage caused by ​the war, which has disrupted shipping through the Strait ‌of Hormuz. The strait carried about 20% of global oil and LNG before the conflict.

Traders say a prolonged closure of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline could cut off as much as 4% of global oil supply . Saudi Arabia has not said when operations might resume.

The price of Brent crude hovered around $108 a barrel on Wednesday (September 16, 2026), close ‌to its highest levels since May. The politically sensitive average retail price of diesel fuel in the U.S. ​hit another all-time high, above $6.30 a gallon for the first time.

But oil prices fell in early Thursday (September 17, 2026) trade as reports of Saudi Arabia offering extra crude cargoes through Oman reduced fears of ⁠supply disruptions in the West Asia

Brent crude futures dropped $1.24, or 1.2%, to $104.59 a barrel by 0049 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down $1.14, or 1.1%, at $101.29.