Trump Aborts Planned Airstrikes on Yemen's Houthis at Last Minute

U.S. President Donald Trump canceled a series of planned airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen at the last minute, according to a report by The New York Times. Senior U.S. officials cited in the report stated that military preparations were at their peak, with munitions already loaded onto fighter jets awaiting takeoff orders, when the surprise cancellation command came from the President.

The dramatic decision followed days of wavering within the President's office, despite a recent conversation between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting, held about a week and a half prior, involved an attempt by bin Salman to persuade Trump to launch strikes and support the Saudi campaign. Although initial U.S. sources briefed Axios that the Trump administration was not leaning towards direct military action against the Houthi organization, the situation changed. The report suggests the conversation had an impact, with the target list approved and the Pentagon preparing, but Trump ultimately changed his mind again and halted the attack.

The White House declined to officially comment on the report, but a senior U.S. official emphasized, "The U.S. has a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. We will always defend our allies." The decision to delay or cancel the strike is linked to significant concerns in Washington about opening another front that could escalate the parallel campaign against Iran, which is not progressing well.

Trump himself hinted at this when responding to a question from Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, stating he was "open to the possibility" of a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week. However, the President added a warning: "I am in a decision-making phase. Very big things are going to happen. Iran had better behave itself."

U.S. military officials, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, noted that Saudi Arabia has previously demonstrated its willingness to use leverage if the U.S. does not cooperate. They recalled an instance in May when the Kingdom blocked a U.S. plan to escort commercial oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz by refusing the U.S. military access to its airspace.

Meanwhile, officials estimated that if the U.S. were to join the campaign, it might occur concurrently with a planned ground offensive by the legitimate Yemeni government forces. However, there is considerable doubt about the effectiveness of these forces, who have been repeatedly defeated by the Houthis in the past. U.S. military commanders have also warned that a limited airstrike would not defeat the Houthis, who have previously survived two months of continuous bombing by the U.S.

The situation is further complicated by a Reuters report revealing a secret meeting between American representatives and the Houthis. The meeting took place in Oman last Sunday, just days after the militia seized a strategic stretch of coastline on the Red Sea, defeating Yemeni government forces. According to the report, based on three sources, the Houthis committed to a continuation of the ceasefire signed with the U.S. in 2025 during the meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat. They stated they had no intention of attacking American vessels, and according to a Yemeni source, this promise also included refraining from attacking Israeli or commercial ships, except for those belonging to Saudi Arabia.