Houthis push for control of Yemen highlands as Trump is said to have called off strikes

A security personnel stands guard during a ceremony organized by Houthi authorities to mark the 12th anniversary of takeover of Yemeni capital, in Sanaa on Sunday. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Sep 22, 2026

RIYADH/DUBAI – Houthi fighters pushed 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 U.S. strikes on the group at the last minute.

A lightning advance by the Iran-backed group this month has extended the wider Middle East conflict to a new theater and further threatened global energy supplies. Washington has so far rebuffed repeated pleas from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join the fight in Yemen.

The New York Times reported that the Trump administration had prepared to launch airstrikes on Sunday against the Houthis after fresh pleas from the Saudi crown prince. But the newspaper said Trump called off the airstrikes at the last minute, even as troops were loading bombs onto aircraft.

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