MUSCAT: US officials reportedly met representatives of Yemen’s Houthis in Oman over the weekend, days after the group seized strategic territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, according to five sources familiar with the discussions.
Three sources said the previously undisclosed meeting took place at the US Embassy in Muscat, while two said Oman helped arrange the talks. One source placed the meeting on Sunday.
The reported discussions came after President Donald Trump said the Houthis had contacted his administration asking Washington to remain outside the Yemen conflict. Vice President JD Vance subsequently confirmed direct US-Houthi contacts without providing details.
Houthis Reportedly Reaffirm 2025 US Ceasefire
Two sources said Houthi representatives told American officials they remained committed to their 2025 ceasefire with Washington and did not intend to attack US vessels.
Moreover, one Yemeni source said the delegation pledged not to attack Israeli or other commercial ships, except Saudi vessels.
Sources identified senior Houthi officials Mohammad Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajiri as participants, while US embassy personnel reportedly represented Washington.
The US State Department did not confirm the meeting but said protecting Red Sea navigation remained a core American interest.
Talks Follow Major Houthi Territorial Gains
Meanwhile, the Houthis have reportedly secured effective control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, including Mocha and strategically important Perim Island near the Bab el-Mandab Strait.
Fighting resumed after years of relative calm, with the Houthis declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping amid renewed tensions with Riyadh.
Consequently, Saudi Arabia has sought American assistance as Houthi forces advance. However, Washington reportedly told Riyadh it would not directly enter the conflict.
The Muscat contacts therefore suggest diplomatic channels remain active despite escalating fighting and Washington’s designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation.
