Shafaq News- Baghdad
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi asked US President Donald Trump for support for his government in its fight against the Houthis, Reuters reported on Monday, citing four sources familiar with the matter.
In a phone call on Sunday, the talks focused on recent Houthi advances near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Two of the sources, one Yemeni and one Western, told Reuters that Trump made no direct commitment to provide military assistance.
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Trump earlier said Washington was in contact with the Houthis and that the group had told the United States it would not target US vessels.
Fighting near Bab al-Mandeb
Saba, the news agency run by the Houthi authorities in Sanaa, claimed that Saudi aircraft struck a public market in the Dhubab district of Taiz province. It also reported five additional coalition strikes on the al-Ahkoum and al-Abous areas of Hayfan district. The claims could not be independently verified.
Reuters reported that Houthi forces had advanced toward strategic highlands in an effort to strengthen their position around access routes to the Red Sea coast.
Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said the Houthis’ recent military escalation along the western coast threatened navigation through Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea, warning that the repercussions extended beyond Yemen to regional security and international trade.
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Separately, Yemeni government forces said they had targeted Houthi positions and supply lines in the Bab al-Mandeb area and al-Bayda province.
The fighting has also driven further displacement. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said nearly 100,000 people had been displaced across Yemen since fighting intensified earlier in September.
The International Organization for Migration separately reported that nearly 20,000 households were displaced between August 1 and September 18, with Taiz and Lahj hosting the largest numbers.