Reuters: U.S. Officials Held Direct Talks With Houthi Representatives in Oman
According to five sources cited by Reuters, U.S. officials recently held direct talks with representatives of Yemen’s Houthi movement in Oman, with three sources saying the meeting took place inside the U.S. Embassy in Muscat. The talks were reportedly facilitated by the Omani government.
The Houthi delegation reportedly included senior figures Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the group’s spokesman, and Abdul-Malik Al-Ajri.
According to two sources cited by Reuters, the Houthis told U.S. officials that they do not intend to attack American vessels and remain committed to the 2025 ceasefire agreement reached with Washington.
The sources also said the Houthis indicated that they would not target Israeli vessels or other commercial shipping, while maintaining a threat against Saudi-linked vessels.
The reported talks come amid heightened tensions around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, as Houthi activity and Saudi military operations have intensified.
The reported contacts could raise questions about the Houthis’ current military priorities and their stated opposition to the United States and Israel. However, claims that the meetings demonstrate a broader U.S.-Israeli arrangement with the Houthis, or that Washington deliberately facilitated Houthi access to Bab el-Mandeb, have not been independently established by the Reuters reporting cited here.