Antiwar.com, citing the New York Times, reports that President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare strikes against Yemen’s Ansar Allah (the Houthis) and then reversed course before launch.
NYT: Order given—then pulled
According to the New York Times account relayed by Antiwar.com, the preparation order followed a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has urged U.S. airstrikes amid Houthi gains. The Times report said commanders had selected targets and that planes were loaded with bombs before Trump delayed the strike.
The Times also reported that most of the president’s inner circle was skeptical or opposed to joining Saudi operations against the Houthis, citing strains on U.S. forces from the war with Iran, per Antiwar.com’s summary.
Antiwar.com’s context: U.S. role and ceasefire risk
Antiwar.com reported that while the U.S. is not directly attacking the Houthis, it is providing targeting and intelligence support to Saudi Arabia, with up to 200 U.S. military advisors assisting the bombing campaign. Antiwar.com further said any direct U.S. strikes would end a U.S.–Houthi ceasefire reached in May 2025 after a prior U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen that it reported killed over 200 civilians and did not end the Houthi blockade on Israeli shipping.
Trump’s on-air claim
Trump told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst on Sunday that the U.S. “is in constant communication with the Houthis and that they have agreed not to fight the United States,” according to Antiwar.com’s write-up of the exchange.
Reuters: Talks in Oman
Reuters reported last week that U.S. and Houthi officials held talks at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman.
Potential fallout if strikes resume, per Antiwar.com
Antiwar.com warned that any U.S. bombing could trigger Houthi escalation, potentially including a closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which it argued would worsen global fuel and economic strains amid the U.S. war with Iran. The outlet also reported that the current Houthi blockade targets Saudi shipping and followed July 13 Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport.
