President Donald Trump met with top officials about conducting strikes against Ansar Allah in Yemen after receiving multiple requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The US reportedly came close to launching the strikes before Trump called them off.
The New York Times reported that, on Wednesday, Trump met with military advisers to discuss strikes on Ansar Allah. The week before, bin Salman called the President to request that the US directly intervene in Yemen as Ansar Allah was taking swaths of territory, including the Red Sea coastline, from Saudi-backed forces.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the President decided not to authorize strikes. However, bin Salman made a second appeal to Trump. The President appeared to change his mind and ordered the Pentagon to prepare for war with Yemen.
According to the Times’ accounting, Trump changed direction again on Sunday and elected to hold off on strikes. The President’s decision came so late that target lists had been approved and bombs were already loaded on the planes.
A senior administration official told the outlet that most members of Trump’s inner circle are “deeply skeptical or outright opposed” to attacking Ansar Allah. Current and former officials do not believe that limited US strikes against Ansar Allah will change the situation on the ground.
One particular concern is that even if the US strikes Ansar Allah targets, the Saudi and UAE-backed forces in Yemen are ill-equipped to exploit the American support.
Trump ordered strikes on Ansar Allah in March of 2025 in response to a blockade of Israeli shipping. The US conducted a major, weeks-long bombing campaign in Yemen. After Ansar Allah nearly hit a US aircraft carrier, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire that notably did not include lifting the blockade against Israel.
The blockade of Israeli shipping was later lifted when Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October 2025. Ansar Allah would impose a blockade against Saudi shipping once fighting reignited in July.
Following the outbreak of fighting in Yemen, Ansar Allah has met with US officials and expressed that the group is committed to the ceasefire with the US. Additionally, US officials say that Ansar Allah said it would only enforce a blockade against Saudi Arabia, but not completely close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, US officials are concerned that the group will close the narrow chokepoint if American planes begin bombing Yemen.
On Sunday, Fox News’ Trey Yingst said Trump told him that the US remains in “constant” communication with Ansar Allah.
