Trump says Houthis asked US not to intervene in Yemen
The US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Yemen’s Houthis asked the United States not to intervene in their spiralling conflict in Yemen with Saudi Arabia.
“The Houthis called us, and they let us know that they don't want to fight with us. They don't want me to go after them,” he said.
Trump added that the Houthis are allowing most of the ships through and that there’s just “one country that they’re not too happy with”, promising to “get that straightened out”.
His comments follow the Houthis’ expansion of control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast this week.
In a lightning offensive, the Houthis have seized a wide swath of the Arabian Gulf's Red Sea coast, including strategic islands and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a global shipping chokepoint that borders Eritrea, Djibouti and Yemen. The strait is a vital route for crude oil supplies from Saudi Arabia to Asia.
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Axios reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia, supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government, has asked Trump twice to launch strikes against the Houthis as the Iran-backed group closed in on vital Red Sea traffic. Trump reportedly rejected the request.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia said it temporarily shut down its East-West Pipeline after drones launched from Iraq attacked its East-West pipeline. The Kingdom said it will not retaliate for now following a request from Baghdad.
Iraq, meanwhile, launched an investigation into the attack and confirmed that its "security forces found drone launchers near the Iraq-Iran border in the al-Tib." The government closed three of its crossings into Iran following the development.
Commenting on the attack on the Saudi oil pipeline, Trump said Iran was “probably” behind the attack launched from Iraq that shut a vital oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, but he has not provided any evidence.
Trump also mentioned having spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a "friend".
The Houthis also targeted Saudi Arabian oil facilities this week in a massive drone and missile attack, as the widening conflict threatens to send energy prices even higher.
In the latest attack, a Houthi projectile injured two people near the country’s southern border with Yemen on Saturday evening, hours after the government issued alerts warning of possible attacks.
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