Houthis pledge to stop targeting US ships after Trump cancels strikes

The Houthis have assured Washington they will not attack US vessels in the Red Sea, following reports that President Donald Trump cancelled planned strikes on the group at the last minute after a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Senior Houthi official Mohamed al-Bukhaiti said Washington reached out after the group's advance to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, confirming they are not targeting the US or other nations there, with the sole exception of Saudi Arabia. He said attacks on Saudi Arabia will persist until Riyadh ends its blockade on Houthi-held areas. The US State Department warned the conflict could escalate rapidly after a missile attack targeted Riyadh for the first time since the war resumed, while Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a Houthi ballistic missile. The fighting has disrupted Saudi oil exports and displaced over 110,000 people.