Trump declines to join Saudi strikes on Yemen's Houthis

President Donald Trump has decided, for now, not to join Saudi Arabia in joint attacks against Yemen's Houthi rebels, despite Riyadh's requests, according to the New York Times citing administration officials. Trump weighed Saudi requests for US intervention for at least two weeks, as the Iran-backed Houthis have resumed attacks on the kingdom in recent months. The Houthis claim Saudi Arabia launched 28 strikes on Yemeni governorates in the past 24 hours. The decision comes as Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. US envoy Mike Waltz reaffirmed Washington's "maximum pressure" on Iran, while the Houthis insist shipping through the Bab el-Mandab strait remains open except for Saudi vessels.