Washington: US President Donald Trump ordered preparations for airstrikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US intervention, but later halted the planned operation.
Trump had told advisers on Wednesday, September 16, that he did not favour strikes against the Houthis. After speaking with Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, September 17, he changed course and instructed the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Sunday, September 20.
By Sunday, Trump had reversed the decision. US commanders had approved target lists and troops were loading bombs onto warplanes assigned to the operation when the planned strikes were halted, according to two people briefed on the preparations.
The White House declined to comment on Trump’s deliberations. A senior administration official said the US has a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and “will always defend our allies”.
The latest development follows an earlier Axios report that Mohammed bin Salman had urged Trump to take military action against the Houthis as the group expanded its operations along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Trump weighs wider Iran conflict
The decision comes as US forces remain engaged in the wider war with Iran. Most of Trump’s inner circle was sceptical of or opposed to opening another front against the Houthis, according to NYT.
Speaking to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst on Sunday, Trump said he was in “deciding mode” over the wider Iran war. He also said the US remained in communication with the Houthis and that they had agreed not to fight American forces.
The Houthis have largely avoided attacking US ships while targeting Saudi interests, leaving Washington to weigh its defence commitments to Riyadh against the risk of widening the conflict.
Houthi advances raise Red Sea concerns
The Houthis have expanded their presence along Yemen’s western coast and captured areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The group has also intensified attacks on Saudi targets, while Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have struggled to contain its advances.
The Houthis have fought Yemen’s Saudi-backed government since 2014. A truce in 2022 significantly reduced large-scale fighting before the conflict widened again this year.
US previously struck Houthis
The US carried out more than 50 days of airstrikes against the Houthis in spring 2025, hitting more than 1,000 targets.
Trump later announced a ceasefire after the group agreed to stop attacking US vessels. The Houthis subsequently rebuilt parts of their military capabilities, while US officials have questioned whether another bombing campaign would force the group to change course.
