Trump claims Houthis agreed not to attack US, amid escalating strikes on Saudi Arabia

Washington: Yemen's Houthis have agreed not to target the United States despite ramping up their military operations against American ally Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, according to a report by Fox News.

Reporting on a direct conversation with the president, Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst cited Trump as stating that Washington remains "in constant communication with the Houthis and that they've agreed not to fight the United States."

The assertion aligns with earlier statements made by Trump regarding the Iran-aligned group's posture toward American military forces in the region.

"The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us," Trump stated during a visit to Ireland on September 12. "They don't want us to go after them."

However, these latest assurances arrive at a time of severe strain for Saudi Arabia. The kingdom came under fresh attack on Saturday when a Houthi missile targeted the capital city of Riyadh. In tandem with aerial strikes, the group has launched a swift ground campaign across Yemen, capturing broad swathes of territory from the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government.

The developments coincide with heightened regional tensions involving Tehran. Fox News reported that Trump is currently in "deciding mode" regarding Iran, following a massive, joint U.S.-Israeli aerial bombing campaign launched on February 28 that has since devolved into a nearly seven-month standoff.

Relaying his dialogue with the president, Yingst noted that Trump warned that "big things will be happening in the not so distant future". Trump added that "Iranians better behave, and he is making this decision as to whether or not to blow up their nation." (AFP)