Trump Reportedly Called Off Houthi Strikes As Bombs Were Being Loaded Onto U.S. Planes

President Donald Trump reportedly called off planned U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis at the last minute Sunday, even as American personnel were loading bombs onto aircraft, The New York Times reported.

The Trump administration had prepared to launch the strikes after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman renewed his request for American military assistance against the Houthis, the NYT reported. Trump ultimately decided against joining Saudi Arabia in the strikes, at least for the time being, according to the outlet.

The Pentagon declined to comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The reported decision followed a rapid Houthi offensive across Yemen and renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia. Washington has so far rejected repeated Saudi requests to enter the fighting directly, Reuters reported.

The Houthis have also kept diplomatic channels with Washington open even as fighting in Yemen has intensified. U.S. officials met with Houthi representatives in Oman earlier this month, where the two sides discussed maintaining their ceasefire and avoiding attacks on American vessels while the group continued its campaign against Saudi interests.

The Houthis claimed responsibility Saturday for attacks targeting Riyadh, while Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward the capital, according to the Saudi Press Agency, citing Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Malki.

Houthi forces are also attempting to capture strategic high ground in the Kahboub Mountains across Taiz and Lahij provinces, which separate the Red Sea coastline from areas controlled by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government, Reuters reported, citing five Yemeni military sources.

Control of those heights could allow the Houthis to secure positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and open additional fronts against Saudi-backed forces, Reuters reported, citing the Yemeni military sources. Saudi Arabia has launched hundreds of strikes against Houthi positions in recent days, but the air campaign has so far failed to halt their advance, Reuters reported, citing the Houthis.

The fighting has also triggered a growing humanitarian crisis. More than 112,000 people had been displaced inside Yemen as of Sept. 18, including more than 100,000 during roughly the previous two weeks, according to the United Nations, citing the International Organization for Migration.