Houthis Warn Against Joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's Escalating Civil War

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels are warning countries against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's growing civil war. A senior official, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, said that his group has assured the Trump administration that it won't attack U.S. vessels in the Red Sea.

The Houthi rebels have been advancing down Yemen's western coast and took control of key islands and ports, including Mokha, which allows them to monitor shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a critical shipping route that passes 12% of world trade. The rebels have declared a blockade on Saudi shipping in the strait and attacked Saudi-linked vessels and oil facilities inside the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter.