US Opens Houthi Talks
Washington held direct talks with Houthis while avoiding a new Saudi-backed Yemen fight.
September 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 6:57pm ET
The GuardianUS opts not to back Saudi Arabia in Yemen after meeting Houthi leaders
SemaforView: Few took the Houthis seriously. A coalition is now needed to stop them.
New York PostYemen’s Houthis promise US not to expand Iran war to Red Sea at secret Oman summit
Patriot PostWill Egypt Strike Yemen’s Houthis?.jpg "Photo: Daily Caller")
Daily CallerTrump Admin Quietly Opens Direct Talks With Iran-Backed Houthis
The American ConservativeIran War Day 201: U.S. Officials Met with Houthis, Report Says
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Right · 4
Pano rates the coverage Balanced.
What happened
U.S. officials held direct talks with Houthi representatives in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend, with Oman helping arrange the meeting. The talks followed a Houthi push along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, where gains near the Bab al-Mandab strait raised fears for a key shipping chokepoint. The group remains under a U.S. terrorist designation. In the meeting, Houthi representatives said they would not attack U.S. or Israeli vessels and would keep the Red Sea open to non-Saudi shipping. They said Saudi-linked ships would still be targets. Saudi Arabia now faces pressure to seek a settlement or assemble a wider coalition, while Washington’s next move remains uncertain.
How the left told it
Left-leaning accounts framed the talks as a sign Washington was choosing restraint rather than joining Saudi Arabia’s fight. The Guardian emphasized that Houthi leaders cast their targets as limited to Saudi-linked shipping, with the conflict tied to Yemen’s blockade. It also stressed that U.S. restraint left Riyadh facing harder choices over talks or a coalition.
How the right told it
Right-leaning accounts framed the talks through Iran’s regional reach, treating the Houthis less as local actors than proxy forces. The New York Post emphasized a quiet de-escalation channel with Iran-backed Houthis instead of a quick U.S. move beside Riyadh. Patriot Post lingered on the Red Sea chokepoint risk to commerce, oil flows, and shipping routes.
Saudi-Houthi Conflict
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