US President Donald Trump claims Houthis agreed not to attack US, despite Saudi Arabia campaign

Washington: President Donald Trump said Sunday that Yemen's Houthis have agreed not to attack the United States, even as the Iran-allied group steps up its campaign against US ally Saudi Arabia, Fox News reported.

Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, who frequently speaks with Trump, cited the president as saying Washington is "in constant communication with the Houthis and that they've agreed not to fight the US." Trump has previously claimed the Houthis are holding back from attacking US forces in the region.

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"The Houthis called us and they don't want to fight with us," Trump said during a visit to Ireland on Sept. 12. "They don't want us to go after them."

His latest comments to Fox News came as Saudi Arabia faces growing pressure, including a missile attack targeting the capital Riyadh on Saturday.

The Houthis have also launched a rapid offensive inside Yemen, seizing swathes of territory from the internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.

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Fox News reported that Trump is in "deciding mode" on Iran, where US and Israeli forces launched a major aerial bombing campaign on Feb. 28 before settling into a nearly seven-month standoff.

Yingst said Trump told him that "big things will be happening in the not so distant future" and that "Iranians better behave," as he weighs whether to "blow up their nation."