A senior official from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has stated that the group will not target US vessels in the Red Sea, while issuing a clear warning to other countries against joining Saudi Arabia in the renewed conflict in Yemen.
Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, made the remarks in an interview with The Associated Press from the rebel-held capital Sanaa on September 20, 2026.
Assurance to the United States
Al-Bukhaiti said Washington reached out after the Houthis’ rapid advance along Yemen’s western coast toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month.
We confirmed that we are not targeting the United States, or any other nation, in the strait, with the sole exception of the Saudi enemy,” he said. “That remains the case.”
The statement reaffirms the group’s commitment to a 2025 ceasefire arrangement with the United States, under which the Houthis halted attacks on American vessels in exchange for an end to US airstrikes.
US President Donald Trump had previously noted that his administration had held discussions with the Houthis and that the group preferred not to fight with the United States.
Warning to Other Countries
While seeking to avoid confrontation with Washington, al-Bukhaiti warned other nations against becoming involved alongside Saudi Arabia.
He claimed the Houthis have the capacity to fight on multiple fronts. “Today, Yemen is capable of waging battle — not merely an internal conflict, but an international one as well,” he said.
Attacks on Saudi Arabia would continue, he added, until Riyadh ends its long-standing blockade of rebel-held areas and allows vessels to reach Houthi-controlled ports on the Red Sea.