Yemen crisis: Houthis threaten US interests if Washington backs Saudi Arabia

Thursday 24 September 2026 - 12:12

Yemen’s Houthi movement has warned that American interests in the Middle East could become targets if Washington provides military support to Saudi Arabia or attempts to intervene directly around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The warning was issued by Abed Mohammed al-Thawr, a military adviser to the Houthi authorities, during an interview with AFP in Sanaa. He described any US military intervention around the waterway as a “red line” and said the group would respond if American forces attempted to take control of the passage.

The statement comes as fighting between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has intensified, adding another layer to already heightened tensions across the region.

Saudi Arabia seeks support as fighting intensifies

Saudi Arabia has reportedly sought American and international assistance as Houthi forces have expanded their territorial control along Yemen’s western coast.

The Houthis recently captured positions extending toward the Bab el-Mandeb area, giving the movement greater influence over a maritime corridor linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forming part of the major shipping route between Asia and Europe.

Riyadh has responded with airstrikes against Houthi positions as the conflict between the movement and Yemen’s internationally recognized government has entered a new phase.

Houthi officials have also reported civilian casualties from recent Saudi strikes, although such battlefield claims remain subject to independent verification.

Bab el-Mandeb becomes a central pressure point

The strategic importance of Bab el-Mandeb has placed the waterway at the center of the latest escalation.

The strait provides access between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is a key maritime route for commercial traffic traveling toward the Suez Canal. Houthi control over territory around the passage has therefore raised concerns about the wider impact of the Yemen conflict on regional shipping and energy markets.

The movement has warned that any attempt by Washington to intervene militarily in the area would trigger a direct confrontation.

Al-Thawr also described the Houthis and Iran as part of the same broader alliance, while maintaining that the movement makes its own decisions. Iran, for its part, has publicly rejected claims that it directs Houthi military decisions.

A fragile understanding with Washington

The latest threat also contrasts with recent indications that the Houthis had agreed not to target American vessels.

US President Donald Trump had cited that understanding when explaining Washington’s decision not to launch direct strikes against the movement. Recent reporting has nevertheless highlighted the possibility of renewed US involvement should Saudi Arabia face further military pressure.

The Houthi warning suggests that the boundaries of that understanding could be tested if American forces provide direct military assistance to Riyadh or attempt to secure the maritime passage.

Renewed war deepens Yemen’s humanitarian crisis

The latest escalation follows the collapse of a period of relative calm in Yemen. Fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with the internationally recognized government has intensified since July.

The humanitarian consequences are already significant. UNHCR reported on September 22 that more than 130,000 people had been displaced inside Yemen since the beginning of September as fighting spread along several fronts. The agency warned that further displacement could follow if hostilities continue.

Thousands of Yemenis have also sought safety across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in Djibouti, adding a cross-border dimension to the humanitarian emergency.

A widening regional confrontation

The latest developments place Yemen at the intersection of several regional confrontations involving Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United States.

For Washington, any decision to support Saudi military operations could carry consequences for American personnel and interests across the Middle East. For Riyadh, the expansion of Houthi control along the Red Sea coast presents a direct security challenge close to its southern border.

With the Houthis now exerting greater influence around Bab el-Mandeb, the conflict is also becoming increasingly significant for international maritime security.