🔻Are the Houthis trying to deliver a message to Washington?

🖊Noual Maqafi, Senior Correspondent for International Affairs

One point of note in statements by the Houthis after the seizure of the port of “Mokha” is their emphasis on the continued operation of international shipping in Yemen’s waters. The group has announced that ships can travel in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait with complete safety as before, with the exception of ships affiliated with Saudi Arabia, which are still subject to the Houthis’ naval blockade.

This distinction may be significant, because the Houthis have previously demonstrated that they are capable of threatening international shipping in the Red Sea.

Specifically, by limiting their current threats to ships connected to Saudi Arabia, they are likely seeking to convey to Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and to the international community that—at least for now—they do not intend to threaten their ships and to turn this into a broader confrontation.

This raises an interesting question about Washington’s response. It is reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Thursday, asked Trump—at least on two occasions—for direct U.S. military intervention and an attack on the Houthis, but the U.S. rejected the request.

Instead, Washington has proposed providing intelligence assistance and support in determining targets, but has stated that—at least for now—it is not prepared to carry out direct military action.

It appears that the Trump administration is determined to avoid opening another front, especially in a situation where its forces are focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

Therefore, the Houthis may be making a calculated distinction: applying maximum pressure on Saudi Arabia and on the vital oil transit route of that country in the Red Sea, while at the same time trying not to give the U.S. an immediate pretext to enter the conflict directly.

But it remains to be seen whether the Houthis, if fighting escalates, can maintain this distinction or not.