‘Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us’: Trump

Dublin: US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi fighters, who have seized a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia, have asked Washington not to intervene.

The Houthis have taken control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coast after capturing three strategic islands in a lightning offensive.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has relied on the area ever since Iran's Hormuz blockade choked off its shipments via the Gulf.

"Th e Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us ," Trump told reporters on a visit to Dublin, Ireland.

"They don't want us to go after them."

"He added that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy," in the region.

Trump also mentioned having spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a "friend".

According to US outlet Axios, bin Salman called Trump twice on Thursday to request US strikes on the Houthis, but the American president declined.

The Houthis also targeted Saudi Arabian oil facilities this week with a massive drone and missile attack.

Houthis on Friday seized an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping lane through which around 12% of global trade passes.

Their virtual control of the strait could send global oil prices, already inflated by the six-month Iran-U.S. war, spiralling. The strait has become a vital commercial lane for Saudi oil ever since the Iran war disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said earlier Saturday that he'd ordered an investigation into the operations command of Maysan province, along the border with Iran, and dismissed the province's commander. His office later said the provincial police chief was also dismissed.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia shut down the major, cross-country oil pipeline on Friday, saying it was a “precautionary measure” after the pipeline came under drone attack. It blamed the attacks on several drones that came from Iraq, but said the kingdom would not retaliate, to give the Iraqi government “an opportunity to take the necessary measures.”

Several Arab countries on Saturday, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, condemned the attack, according to the Saudi state news agency.