ERBIL () - U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis had contacted Washington and indicated that they did not want a confrontation with the United States, as the group consolidates control over strategic territory along the Red Sea.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Dublin, Ireland, Trump said the Houthis had reached out to the United States amid mounting concern over their recent territorial advances and threats to one of the world's most important maritime corridors.
"The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us,"Trump said, according to Agence France-Presse.
"They don't want us to go after them,"he added.
Trump offered no details about when the contact occurred, who represented the Houthis, or whether the communication involved direct talks with U.S. officials.
He nevertheless struck an optimistic tone, saying that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy"in the region.
The president also said he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a "friend."
AFP reported that, according to U.S. outlet Axios, the Saudi crown prince called Trump twice on Thursday seeking U.S. military strikes against the Houthis, but Trump declined.
The reported Saudi request came as Houthi forces made rapid territorial gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast and seized strategically important islands near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
AFP reported Saturday that the Houthis now control Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline after capturing three strategic islands during a rapid offensive.
The Bab al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a critical shipping route between Europe and Asia.
Its strategic importance has increased further for Saudi Arabia since Iranian restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupted oil shipments through the Gulf, forcing Riyadh to depend more heavily on export routes toward the Red Sea.
The Houthis have also targeted Saudi energy infrastructure this week with drone and missile attacks, according to AFP.
Saudi Arabia has been seeking to prevent further disruption to oil export routes while avoiding a broader regional escalation.
Trump made the comments while in Ireland for a two-day visit that also includes meetings with Irish leaders and attendance at the Irish Open at his family-owned golf resort in Doonbeg.
Associated Press correspondents Darlene Superville and Jill Lawless reported that Trump met Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin on Saturday before traveling to the resort.
Middle East tensions were among the issues surrounding the visit, although Trump's remarks on the Houthis came amid questions from reporters rather than as part of a formal policy announcement.
AFP correspondents Peter Hutchison, Aurelia End and Peter Murphy, reporting separately on Trump's Ireland visit, said the president's discussions with Martin also included the Iran war, alongside trade and other bilateral issues.
Trump did not say whether the Houthi communication amounted to a formal request, an indirect message or the beginning of any negotiation.
There was also no immediate public confirmation from Houthi officials of Trump's account.
The comments nevertheless come at a sensitive moment.
The Houthis' recent advances have heightened concerns about maritime traffic through Bab al-Mandeb, while Saudi Arabia faces pressure on both its energy infrastructure and its access to export routes.
Trump's remarks also suggest that Washington, at least for now, is seeking to avoid being drawn directly into a new confrontation with the Houthis despite reported Saudi calls for U.S. military action.
The United States has not announced any new strikes against the group in response to its latest territorial gains.
For now, Trump's account indicates that the Houthis are signaling an interest in keeping the United States out of the conflict even as their expanding control along Yemen's Red Sea coast raises the stakes for Saudi Arabia and international shipping.
