US Holds Secret Talks With Houthi Movement in Oman

United States officials and representatives of the Houthi Movement held secret talks at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman, on September 13. Facilitated by the Omani government, the meeting sought to maintain a May 2025 ceasefire and ensure the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains open for global trade. The discussions followed a Houthi offensive between September 9 and 11, during which the group seized control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline, including Perim Island and the port of Mocha.

During the talks, the Houthi Movement pledged to allow freedom of navigation for American and most commercial vessels, though they explicitly stated they would continue to target Saudi Arabian ships. The group also requested that the U.S. remain neutral in the Yemen war. While the Houthis claim the strait remains open to non-Saudi shipping, they have maintained a blockade against Saudi vessels since July.

Simultaneously, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested U.S. military support to counter Houthi advances and drone attacks on cities including Mecca. The Trump administration denied requests for direct kinetic strikes, offering intelligence and targeting data instead. This diplomatic shift occurs as the Houthis construct berms along the Red Sea coastal plain to secure long-term territorial control and assert de facto authority over international maritime traffic.