A senior official from the Houthi movement in Yemen has stated that the group will refrain from targeting United States ships. According to the official, this development followed communications between Washington and the group after Houthi forces advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint.

Simultaneously, reports from US media outlets suggest that the United States government had prepared military strikes against Houthi targets in response to their regional activities. These reports indicate that the strikes were called off at the last minute following a conversation between President-elect Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While the Houthi official characterizes the situation as a result of direct outreach from Washington, the US government has not officially confirmed the details of these communications or the specific reasons behind the cancellation of the military operation. The situation remains fluid, as the intersection of Houthi maritime aggression, US military posturing, and Saudi diplomatic involvement continues to shape the security environment in the Red Sea region.