Saudi Arabia has requested missile defense support from its allies as the United States observes a decrease in its stock of interceptors. The US reiterated its support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government on September 17, 2026, as fighting escalated between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces. US officials reportedly held direct talks with Houthi representatives in Oman the previous weekend, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Yemeni government forces stated that the coalition had targeted Houthi positions near Mocha, while government forces conducted drone strikes in Marib. The Houthis claimed to have downed a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly low on missile interceptors and has sought assistance from regional and Western allies, including France, Pakistan, Egypt, and the United Kingdom, to bolster its air defense against Houthi attacks, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press. One official noted that the US, Saudi Arabia’s primary ally and arms supplier, has also seen its interceptor stock diminish during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM), informed Al Jazeera that the US is “closely monitoring” the situation between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, emphasizing the US military's longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Despite supporting the Saudi campaign, American officials engaged in direct discussions with Houthi representatives in Oman, as reported by three sources to Reuters under anonymity. The meeting occurred at the US embassy in Muscat, facilitated by the Omani government.
During the Muscat meeting, the Houthis assured US officials of their commitment to the 2025 ceasefire and stated they had no intention of attacking US vessels, according to the sources.
Neil Hop, the top US diplomat for Yemen, conveyed to Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba that the US continues to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government, as stated by the US embassy in Yemen. The embassy quoted Hop saying, “The United States of America stands in solidarity with the Yemen government and its people against Iran-backed Houthi aggression.”
The Yemeni government’s army reported that the Saudi-led coalition targeted Houthi outposts and equipment around the southwestern port city of Mocha. Additionally, the army claimed to have conducted drone attacks on Houthi forces in northern Marib governorate.
On the evening of September 17, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that “Saudi warplanes launched 40 air strikes targeting the provinces of Taiz, Marib, and Hodeidah over the past 24 hours.” In retaliation, the Houthis claimed to have targeted the Khamis Mushait airbase and an oil facility in the Saudi Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The Houthis also asserted that they shot down a Saudi fighter jet using a “locally made surface-to-air missile” over Marib. Al Jazeera’s Yemen correspondent Yousef Mawry noted that the downing of Saudi fighter jets “could very well mean a change in the balance of power,” as Saudi Arabia relies heavily on its airstrike capabilities against Houthi positions in various provinces.