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NYT: Trump was ready to attack Houthis, but stopped everything before the bombers took off

2026-09-21 17:20:36Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
NYT: Trump was ready to attack Houthis, but stopped everything before the
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US President Donald Trump came very close to opening another military front in the Middle East, ordering the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, before changing his position again.

A New York Times report, based on administration officials and people briefed on military planning, reveals the movements within the White House during the days that brought the United States closer to a new military operation in Yemen.

For about two weeks, Trump had been under pressure from Saudi Arabia to order the US military to strike Iranian-backed Houthi targets.

The situation changed on Thursday, when Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, called Trump and again asked for American intervention to stem the Houthis' advance.

Just a day earlier, Trump had told his advisers that he did not favor the attacks.

But after a phone call with the Saudi prince, he changed his mind. Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis. By Sunday, preparations were well advanced.

According to two people briefed on the operation, American commanders had approved target lists, troops were loading bombs onto American fighter jets selected for the mission, and the wave of attacks was about to begin.

But Trump changed his mind again.

By midday Sunday, the administration had decided that there would be no American strikes against the Houthis, at least for the time being.

Trump's dilemma

According to the NYT, the decision reflects the dilemma facing the American president.

The Houthis have avoided attacks on US ships, but have struck Saudi Arabia. At the same time, Washington needs Riyadh's cooperation in the fight against Iran.

In May, Saudi Arabia had effectively thwarted a Trump administration plan to use the US military to escort commercial tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, refusing the use of its airspace and US bases on Saudi territory.

This gives Riyadh an important instrument of pressure on Washington.

Within the US administration, meanwhile, much of Trump's inner circle was skeptical or opposed to involvement in the Saudi war against the Houthis, particularly because of the pressure that the war with Iran is already putting on the US military.

Another front in the Middle East

If the United States were to become involved, airstrikes could be coordinated with a new ground offensive by Yemeni government forces.

But American officials have expressed doubts about the ability of these forces to confront the Houthis.

The group has taken control of strategic areas near the Bab al-Mandab, one of the most important maritime corridors of the Red Sea, increasing the risk to global energy markets.

Even a new American bombing campaign is not seen as a guarantee of changing the situation.

In the spring of 2025, the US military bombed the Houthis for more than 50 days and hit over 1,000 targets, including radars, air defense systems, ballistic missile positions, and drone launch sites.

During the first month alone, the operation consumed weapons and ammunition worth about $1 billion.

Less than two months after the launch of that campaign, Trump declared a ceasefire with the Houthis. The group stopped attacks on American ships, but has since rebuilt a significant portion of its capabilities.

Officials cited in the report warn that the resumption of US bombing could prompt the Houthis to resume attacks on US targets, while instability in Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab could create further problems for global oil and gas transportation.


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