US Vice President JD Vance has confirmed that Washington is in direct contact with Yemen’s Houthi movement, as tensions between the group and Saudi Arabia continue to rise.
The confirmation came after US officials reportedly met Houthi representatives in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend. The talks focused on the fragile ceasefire reached between the United States and the Houthis in 2025 and the growing military tensions in Yemen and the Red Sea.
According to Reuters, the meeting involved US embassy officials and senior Houthi representatives. Oman, which has played a role in mediating between the two sides, helped facilitate the discussions. The US State Department did not directly confirm the reported meeting. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Houthis Say American Ships Are Not Targets
Sources familiar with the talks said the Houthis assured US officials that they did not intend to attack American vessels.
They also reportedly said they remained committed to the ceasefire agreed with Washington in May 2025.
One source said the Houthis indicated that they would not target American or Israeli vessels, or other commercial shipping, while making an exception for vessels linked to Saudi Arabia.
The reported assurances come as fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has intensified, creating fresh concerns about shipping through the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait.
US Concerned About Houthi Advances in Yemen
Washington is also closely watching recent Houthi military advances in Yemen.
The Houthis have expanded their control along parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the strategic port of Mocha and Perim Island, according to Reuters. The developments have increased concerns about the security of one of the world’s major maritime routes.
Saudi Arabia has sought international assistance as it faces increasing military pressure from the Houthis. However, US officials have indicated that Washington does not currently intend to become directly involved in the latest fighting between Riyadh and the Houthis.
The United States has continued to provide intelligence and planning support to Saudi forces, but this is different from committing American forces directly to the conflict.
2025 US-Houthi Ceasefire Remains Important
The current contacts are particularly significant because Washington and the Houthis reached a ceasefire in May 2025 after weeks of US military strikes against Houthi targets.
Under the arrangement, neither side was to target the other, including American vessels operating in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. Oman confirmed at the time that the agreement was intended to support freedom of navigation and the movement of international commercial shipping.
The latest discussions suggest that the ceasefire remains an important channel between Washington and the Houthi movement, even as the group’s confrontation with Saudi Arabia has intensified.
Houthis Remain Designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation
The talks are also notable because the Trump administration designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) in March 2025.
Despite that designation, Washington later negotiated directly with the group and reached the May 2025 ceasefire. The latest reported meeting in Oman indicates that diplomatic contact has continued despite the designation.
Regional Tensions Continue
The latest developments come amid a wider escalation involving Saudi Arabia, the Houthis and other regional actors.
Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthis of attacks involving missiles and drones, while the Houthis have threatened further action against Saudi interests. At the same time, concerns are growing over the security of shipping routes linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider global trade network.
For now, the United States appears to be maintaining direct communication with the Houthis while avoiding a direct military role in the renewed Saudi-Houthi confrontation. The situation remains fluid, and further developments could determine whether the 2025 US-Houthi ceasefire continues to hold.
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