US Officials Met Houthi Representatives Amid Red Sea Tensions

U.S. officials held a meeting with representatives from the Houthi movement in Oman over the past weekend, according to five sources who spoke to Reuters. The meeting occurred just days after an escalation of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

The discussions reportedly focused on the ongoing Houthi actions in the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the Red Sea, which have disrupted international shipping. The exact nature of the Houthi delegation and the specific U.S. officials involved were not disclosed.

This engagement marks a rare direct interaction between the two sides since the Houthi attacks began, signaling a potential U.S. effort to de-escalate the situation through diplomatic channels. The U.S. has previously condemned the Houthi attacks and imposed sanctions on the group, while also conducting retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.