Houthi forces are advancing in Yemen, threatening Saudi-backed authorities and global energy supply routes, while U.S. involvement remains uncertain.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Houthi fighters pushed to seize strategic mountain positions in Yemen on Monday in an effort to cut off the Red Sea coast from areas still controlled by Saudi-backed government forces. This follows reports that President Donald J. Trump called off planned U.S. strikes against the Iran-backed group at the last minute. The Houthis have rapidly expanded their territorial control this month, creating additional risks for global energy supplies. 📺 DETAIL: The Trump administration reportedly prepared airstrikes on Sunday after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appealed for U.S. military assistance, but President Trump is said to have halted the operation as aircraft were being loaded with bombs. The White House and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had not confirmed these reports as of the time of publication. Yemen’s internationally recognized government has also sought U.S. support, with President Rashid al-Alimi reportedly asking Trump for help during a Sunday phone call. Sources say Trump made no direct commitment. The Houthis have captured sections of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and are now seeking strategic heights that could separate the coastline from government-held territory farther south entirely. The fighting has reportedly killed nearly 700 people and displaced roughly 130,000 internally. More than 3,000 have fled across the Red Sea to Africa, according to the United Nations (UN). The escalation is also threatening Saudi Arabia’s oil export routes, as Riyadh increasingly relies on shipments through the Red Sea due to the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Iran war, which has driven tanker costs sharply higher and added to pressure on global refined-fuel prices. 🎯 IMPACT: The Houthi advances threaten one of Saudi Arabia’s key alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz for exporting oil, increasing pressure on global energy markets already strained by the wider regional conflict between Iran, Israel, the U.S., and U.S.-aligned Arab states. For the Trump administration, the escalation also creates pressure to support Saudi Arabia, with the risk that expanding U.S. military involvement in Yemen could broaden the conflict. 📺 FLASHBACK: The Houthis have controlled Yemen’s capital since 2014, with the conflict escalating into a proxy war involving neighboring Saudi Arabia and Iran. Previous U.S. involvement in the conflict early in the second Trump administration ceased after a short campaign in early 2025, leaving Saudi Arabia and Saudi-backed local forces to fend off Houthi advances independently. The former Biden government also mounted a long, unsuccessful campaign against the Houthis, resulting in the loss of multiple multi-million-dollar U.S. drones. |
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.
show less
