US officials hold Oman talks with Houthis as Red Sea tensions persist
The Houthis have told US officials they will avoid attacking Israeli vessels, even as Saudi-led forces and Washington keep military options open
Published
US officials met Houthi representatives in Oman, continuing a diplomatic channel opened in earlier talks. During those discussions, the Houthis told the Americans they would avoid attacking Israeli vessels, a pledge that marks the clearest sign yet of a shift away from the military-first approach that has shaped policy toward the group.
The talks come after Houthi forces claimed an attack on an Aramco site in Yanbu. Loadings at the port had already been suspended after pipeline damage the previous month. Tanker rates for VLCCs have passed $1 million a day for the first time, and Brent crude has traded above $135 a barrel with the six-month calendar spread widening past $20.
Iran's security chief has said talks will not happen until its own demands are met, while US Vice President JD Vance has described the conflict as entering a managed phase. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Gulf states are looking to open their own separate channel with Tehran. A Saudi-led coalition has meanwhile vowed further action against the Houthis, calling the security of Mecca and Medina a red line after intercepting a Houthi drone.
The diplomatic opening in Oman does not appear to replace those military tracks. The US is preparing a $2.8 billion weapons package for Israel, including tens of thousands of bombs and penetrator warheads, according to AP, and military chiefs from the US, Israel and Arab nations have held a secret meeting on Iran. With Oman and US officials striking a tone of de-escalation, against Iran's public refusal to engage and Saudi Arabia's hardline stance, the near-term direction of the talks, and of the Red Sea disruption they are meant to ease, remains unsettled.