Al Jazeera reported that after US officials met with Houthi representatives in Muscat, the capital of Oman, over the weekend, the Houthis have taken control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and assured the US that they would not attack American vessels, with restrictions only targeting Saudi-related ships. Previously, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had called Donald Trump twice, urging the US to launch airstrikes against the Houthis, but Trump rejected the request, stating that US military resources were stretched thin and domestic opposition to a war with Iran was growing.