🔻 Yemen’s president, in contact with Trump, asks for U.S. support against the Houthis

🔻 Reuters, citing four informed sources, reported that Donald Trump, the U.S. president, spoke by phone on Sunday with Rashad Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen.

The focus of the conversation was the advance of Iran-backed Houthis around the Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

According to Reuters sources, Mr. Alimi, during the call, asked for U.S. support for the Saudi-backed government in dealing with the Houthis.

Two sources—one Yemeni and the other Western—said that Mr. Trump did not make a direct commitment for military support in the call.

The White House and Yemen’s Minister of Information have not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment.