US officials reportedly meet Houthis in Oman

US officials reportedly held an undisclosed meeting with representatives of Yemen’s Houthi movement in Oman over the weekend, according to sources familiar with the discussions, as tensions rise following the group’s latest territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

The meeting reportedly took place at the US Embassy in Muscat, with some sources saying Oman helped facilitate the talks. The discussions came days after the Houthis seized control of a strategic section of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and pushed back forces backed by Saudi Arabia.

According to sources, the Houthis told US officials that they did not intend to target American vessels and remained committed to the ceasefire agreement reached with Washington in 2025. The group also reportedly said it would not attack Israeli ships or commercial vessels, with an exception for vessels linked to Saudi Arabia.

The reported talks come despite Washington designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation in March 2025. The United States subsequently entered negotiations with the group, eventually reaching a ceasefire after months of US military strikes against Houthi positions over attacks on Red Sea shipping.

US President Donald Trump said over the weekend that the Houthis had contacted his administration and asked Washington to stay out of the conflict in Yemen. Vice President JD Vance also confirmed that the United States was in direct contact with the group, without providing details.

Sources said the US delegation consisted of embassy personnel, while the Houthi side included senior representatives based in Oman. Among those reportedly present was Mohammad Abdulsalam, a senior Houthi official who is under US sanctions, along with Abdelmalik al-Ajiri.

The US State Department did not confirm that the meeting took place. A spokesperson said Washington considered protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and preventing the spread of terrorism from the Middle East to be core US interests.

The latest developments follow the Houthis’ reported seizure of effective control over Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, including the port of Mocha and Perim Island near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014 and have fought a Saudi-led coalition for more than a decade. Although fighting had eased under a recent ceasefire, hostilities resumed in July after the Houthis announced a blockade targeting Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.