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US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday to discuss recent advances by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital international shipping route.
According to four sources familiar with the matter, Al-Alimi sought US support for Yemen’s Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthis, who have seized several key areas along the strategic waterway in a rapid offensive this month.
However, two sources—one Yemeni and one Western—said Trump did not make any direct commitment to provide military support during the call.
The White House and Yemen’s information minister did not immediately comment on the conversation.
Trump has previously said that the United States remains in contact with the Houthis and that the group has assured Washington it will not target US shipping.
Washington has designated the Houthis as a terrorist organisation.
Saudi Arabia has also sought US military assistance against the Houthis, but Trump has previously declined such requests, according to Reuters.
The latest Houthi advances have heightened concerns over security around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key maritime routes connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
