Trump dodged Yemen's plea for military support against Houthis: Report

Despite Yemen's plea for US military support, president Donald Trump stopped short of committing American forces to counter the Houthis during a call with Yemeni president Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday.Alimi had sought Washington’s backing for his Saudi-backed government after the Iran-aligned Houthis rapidly seized key areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, particularly around the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait.According to sources cited by Reuters, Trump made no direct pledge of military assistance during the call.Earlier, US officials had reportedly met Houthi representatives at the US embassy in Muscat, organised by the longtime regional mediator, Oman. The Houthis had affirmed their commitment to the 2025 ceasefire, saying no commercial ships would be targeted in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, except the Saudis. Reuters reported.Nearly seven-month-old Iran conflict has already kept US forces in deep waters, with the Mandeb strait acting as an alternative to Hormuz.