Saudi Arabia is pursuing behind-the-scenes diplomacy aimed at containing renewed hostilities with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and preventing the conflict from threatening the kingdom’s oil industry and broader economy, Bloomberg reported.

Riyadh has held indirect discussions with the Houthis through mediators from Oman, according to people familiar with the matter. At the same time, Saudi officials are continuing to prepare military options in case those diplomatic efforts fail.

Saudi Arabia carried out limited strikes against Houthi positions for two consecutive days in late July, but has not repeated the action as it seeks a negotiated solution with the group, which controls most of northern Yemen.

The kingdom has held intermittent, Oman-mediated talks with the Houthis since a 2022 ceasefire. Riyadh is seeking to restrain the group and protect its interests in the Red Sea, a crucial route for Saudi oil exports, particularly while the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed.

The Houthis, meanwhile, are pressing Saudi Arabia for economic concessions. Their demands include Saudi funding for the salaries of some Yemeni civil servants and the removal of restrictions on goods and people entering Houthi-controlled territory.

The group has portrayed its recent actions as a response to what it describes as a Saudi “siege” on Yemen, pointing to restrictions at ports and airports and a Saudi strike on Sanaa’s airport last month.

Iran has publicly characterized the Red Sea confrontation as a local dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, even as Iranian state media has celebrated the clashes as part of the wider regional “resistance.”

Analysts said the Houthis remain closely aligned with Iran but must also consider domestic sentiment inside Yemen. Yemenis are viewed as less supportive of launching a military campaign on Iran’s behalf than of operations framed around the Palestinians, leading the group to present its actions through a Yemeni nationalist message.

The diplomatic effort reflects Riyadh’s determination to avoid returning to a prolonged military confrontation while preserving pressure on the Houthis and protecting vital shipping and energy interests.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)