US and Houthis Hold Talks in Muscat After Red Sea Coast Seizure

September 18, 2026 at 03:05 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

US officials met Houthi representatives at the American embassy in Muscat last weekend, arranged by Oman, days after the group seized Yemen's Red Sea coastline. The Houthi delegation reportedly told American officials they do not intend to attack US vessels and remain committed to the May 2025 ceasefire deal with Washington.

Key Facts

On September 8, Houthi missiles and drones hit oil facilities and utilities across four southern Saudi cities, wounding 73 people and forcing a temporary halt to operations at some sites.
The Houthi delegation reportedly told American officials they do not intend to attack US vessels and remain committed to the ceasefire deal reached with Washington in May 2025.
The Houthis reportedly pledged not to target Israeli or other commercial ships, sparing everyone except Saudi vessels.
The September 8 attack came hours after a Saudi coalition strike on the Sanaa airport runway blocked a Houthi-arranged flight from Tehran.

Muscat Talks

Last weekend, US officials met Houthi representatives at the American embassy in Muscat, arranged by Oman, days after the group seized Yemen's Red Sea coastline. The Houthi delegation reportedly told American officials they do not intend to attack US vessels and remain committed to the ceasefire deal reached with Washington in May 2025. There were also reports that the Houthis pledged not to target Israeli or other commercial ships, sparing everyone except Saudi vessels.

September 8 Attacks

On September 8, Houthi missiles and drones hit oil facilities and utilities across four southern Saudi cities—Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran—igniting fires, wounding 73 people, and forcing a temporary halt to operations at some sites. The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed the fires and the shutdown. That attack came hours after a Saudi coalition strike on the Sanaa airport runway blocked a Houthi-arranged flight from Tehran, and after an earlier Saudi strike killed civilians at a Jawf prison.

Houthi Demands

The Houthis' September 8 demands are the same ones they have held since rejecting a 2023 UN roadmap that would have paid Houthi salaries and given them a share of Yemen's oil and gas revenue. That roadmap called for an end to Saudi military operations in Yemen, the removal of restrictions on Houthi-controlled ports and airports, back pay for officials, and war reparations. The 2023 Houthi demands are still negotiable, and the Saudis agreed to something close to those at the time.