Houthis assure US they will not target American ships

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have told the Trump administration they will not target American vessels in the Red Sea, while warning other countries against joining Saudi Arabia in the country's renewed civil war. The dual message, delivered by Houthi political bureau member Mohamed al-Bukhaiti in remarks reported on Sunday, signals an effort to avoid a confrontation with Washington even as fighting with Riyadh intensifies. Bukhaiti said the Houthis confirmed in indirect contacts through Oman, the longtime regional mediator, that their operations in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait were not directed at the United States or any other nation using the waterway, with the sole exception of Saudi Arabia. The strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and normally carries roughly 12 percent of global trade. The goal of our military operations is not to close the strait, but rather to ensure freedom of navigation through it for everyone, he said. President Trump said last weekend that his administration had held discussions with the group. The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us, Trump said, adding that the rebels were letting most ships pass.