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Houthi fighters in Yemen are advancing to seize strategic heights in Taiz and Lahij provinces to cut off the Red Sea coast from government-held areas. This move follows a report that President Donald Trump reversed his decision on launching air strikes against the Houthis after speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Yemen's President Rashad al-Alimi. The conflict has intensified, with the Houthis capturing key coastal areas along the Bab al-Mandab strait recently. Trump did not pledge military support during his call with Alimi but considered air strikes before backing off.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-22,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Houthis, backed by Iran, are rapidly advancing in Yemen and threatening critical waterways like the Bab al-Mandeb strait. President Trump spoke with Yemen's president Rashad al-Alimi about the situation but did not pledge military support to his Saudi-backed government. The U.S. had prepared airstrikes against the Houthis at Riyadh’s request but ultimately canceled them, even as bombs were loaded onto planes. This decision reflects a reluctance by the U.S. to engage militarily in the region and highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics between the U.S., Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Yemen's government is seeking direct military aid from the U.S., fearing that without such support, the Houthis will continue to expand their control over strategic areas. The cancellation of airstrikes also underscores Trump’s strategy to reduce America’s entanglement in Middle Eastern conflicts. Despite this, tensions remain high as the Houthis push for more territory and threaten global shipping routes. Trump's decision to not intervene militarily is seen by some analysts as a necessary step to break a cycle of codependency between the U.S. and its Gulf allies. However, it also raises questions about how effectively these nations can defend themselves without American support.
Written for “Houthis Fighting in Yemen” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 17 other(s) covering the same event.
• Trump speaks with Yemen’s president, doesn’t pledge military support
• NYT says US president reversed decision on air strikes on Houthis
asserted
president → speak → Houthis
Houthi fighters were pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen on Monday to cut off the Red Sea coast from remaining areas held by Saudi-backed forces, after a report that President Donald Trump had called off US strikes on the group at the last minute.
asserted
Trump → push → minute
US President Trump spoke by phone with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday, four people familiar with the matter said, discussing the advances of the Houthis around a vital global waterway.
asserted
people → speak → waterway
Alimi requested US support for his Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthis, who this month took key areas along the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive.
asserted
who → request → offensive
Two of the sources, one Yemeni and one Western, said Trump had made no direct pledge of military support during the call.
asserted
Trump → say → call
The White House and Yemen’s information minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
asserted
House → respond → comment
On the other hand, a lightning advance by the Houthis this month has extended the wider Middle East conflict to a new theatre.
asserted
advance → extend → theatre
Five Yemeni military sources told Reuters that the Houthis were now seeking to seize strategic heights, known as the Kahboub Mountains, in two provinces, Taiz and Lahij, which separate the Red Sea coast from the government-held south.
asserted
which → tell → south
Fighting has centred on the outskirts of the remote mountain Al-Wazi’iyah district in Taiz province, and Ras al-Ara along the Indian Ocean coast between the mouth of the Red Sea that the fighters captured last week and the government’s base in Aden.
asserted
fighters → centre → Aden
The Houthis aim to secure the rear of their forces around the Bab al-Mandab Strait leading into the Red Sea by taking control of the heights, which would allow them to open new fronts, according to the sources.
uncertain
them → aim → sources
That would help protect exposed positions the Houthis captured during their advance around Dhubab on the Red Sea and on Perim Island in the strait.
asserted
Houthis → help → strait
The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen’s capital since 2014, seized the country’s Red Sea coast this month in a lightning advance that routed forces of an internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and based in the south.
asserted
which → control → south
The New York Times reported that President Trump has changed his strategy on Yemen several times, torn between Saudi pressure to strike the Iran-backed Houthis and the risk of opening another front in the Middle East war.
asserted
Trump → report → war
It said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Sunday “to implore him, again, to step in to help blunt the rapidly advancing group”.
asserted
Salman → say → group
Trump had told his advisers the day before that he opposed strikes but changed his mind after the call and “told the Pentagon to prepare for air strikes against the Houthis”, the newspaper reported, citing anonymous administration officials.
However, he appeared to have reversed his decision again by midday Sunday, it said.
asserted
it → tell → midday
Trump’s decision to pull back from striking the Houthis came as “commanders had approved target lists, troops were loading bombs onto US warplanes selected for the missions and the wave of attacks was just about to begin”, the Times said, citing two people briefed on the operation.
asserted
Times → pull → operation
US news platform Axios said Trump had already refused a Saudi request to strike the Houthis last week.
asserted
Trump → say → Houthis
Fox News reported on Sunday that Trump had said the Houthis have agreed not to hit US targets.
asserted
Houthis → report → targets
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