Houthi Advances in Yemen Test US Limits and Strain Saudi Relations

The latest advances by the Houthis along Yemen’s Red Sea coast represent a major escalation in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, though US President Donald Trump has thus far resisted calls for deeper military engagement in the area. Following the Iran-backed group's capture of the critical port city of Mokha and subsequent missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, Mr Trump turned down appeals from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct military intervention. Reports indicate that Washington instead opted to provide intelligence support.

“We’ve had discussions. The Houthis called us and they don’t want to fight with us,” Mr Trump remarked over the weekend, noting that they “don’t want us to go after them” and “would much prefer not having us involved.” He further described Prince Mohammed as “a good friend of mine and it’s going to — I can just say everything’s going to work out fine and dandy. It’s going to be very good.” Vice President JD Vance stated that the administration remains in “constant contact” with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and regional allies while maintaining direct communication with the Houthis. “We actually feel like we are on top of the situation, it’s a very fluid and dynamic thing,” he noted. “We want to keep on monitoring it.”

This posture highlights the administration's hesitation to open another military front as US forces remain heavily occupied with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Trump continues to navigate mounting pressures from rising energy prices, which are increasing living costs for Americans ahead of November’s midterm elections. Furthermore, he faces ongoing scrutiny regarding the ultimate objectives and timeline of the conflict, which he initiated alongside Israel on February 28. Although initial projections suggested the military campaign would last only a few weeks with the goal of regime change in Iran, the conflict has stretched past six months, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—historically carrying a fifth of global energy supplies—becoming a central objective for Washington.

While Mr Trump has historically emphasized his close alliances with Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, tensions have emerged. The US decision to initiate the war with Iran without consulting Gulf nations has forced regional governments to bear the economic and security repercussions of a conflict they did not start. Although the Trump administration conditioned a civilian nuclear program pact with Saudi Arabia on the establishment of formal ties with Israel, Mr Trump recently nominated a new ambassador to Saudi Arabia on Monday to reassure Riyadh, filling a position that had remained vacant for over a year and a half. Meanwhile, ambassadorial positions for the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait remain unfilled.

For Gulf states accustomed to decades of deepening security and economic ties with Washington, the crisis has underscored the limitations of their influence and their ability to shield their economies from regional instability. “The Gulf states are rightly angry, and they should be, because they have become victims of something that was not their doing,” observed Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “They don’t see any solutions coming out of Washington, so they’re accepting the geography and the basic realities of this war having become a war of attrition, in which the Gulf states are among the biggest victims.”

The Houthi seizure of Mokha on Yemen’s western coast moves the group closer to the Bab Al Mandeb strait, a vital global shipping lane linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This waterway has gained critical strategic importance given the severe disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz. Representing a substantial strategic victory, the capture grants the Houthis greater control over an essential alternative maritime route.

While Iran stands to gain from the turmoil in Yemen through increased economic pressure and political complications for Mr Trump, shared interests between Tehran and the Houthis do not necessarily equate to direct Iranian control over Houthi decisions. A senior US administration official emphasized that Washington remains dedicated to protecting core national security interests, such as freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, while empowering regional partners to confront security challenges. “We are in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen government regarding regional stability,” the official stated. Additionally, the administration cautioned the Houthis against renewing attacks on shipping lanes, warning that the US will take “necessary action” to safeguard commerce and freedom of navigation.