US rules out direct role in Yemen as Houthi advances continue; Trump accused of abandonment

The United States has opted against direct military involvement in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, despite significant Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast. This decision follows requests from Saudi Arabia, which has been seeking US military support to counter the Iran-backed Houthi forces. Instead, the US is reportedly offering intelligence and targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis have recently seized large swathes of western Yemen, including key port cities and Perim Island, which poses a threat to the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping lane. President Donald Trump's administration has communicated with Houthi leaders, who reportedly assured the US that American and international shipping in the Red Sea would not be targeted, only vessels linked to Saudi Arabia.

This stance by the US has prompted criticism and placed increased pressure on Saudi Arabia to find either a diplomatic resolution or forge a regional alliance to push back the Houthi forces. The US previously entered a ceasefire agreement with the Houthis in May 2025, which ended US strikes in exchange for a halt to attacks on Red Sea shipping. The current US policy aims to avoid further military entanglement in the Middle East, while protecting core national security interests such as freedom of navigation.