US President Donald Trump said he hoped the war against Iran was nearing an end as the seven-month conflict expanded into Yemen, with Saudi aircraft striking Houthi positions and the Iran-aligned group launching drones and missiles toward Saudi Arabia.
The escalation has increased concerns about global oil supplies, with Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and damage to the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline adding to disruptions caused by the war and reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
As the conflict spread into another theatre, the United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia and barred government employees from travelling within 20 miles (30 kilometres) of the Yemen border.
Despite the renewed fighting, Trump told reporters on Wednesday evening that he hoped the conflict was close to ending.
“Well, hopefully we are towards the end of the war,” Trump said.
Trump says Iran wants a deal
Trump also said Iran wanted to reach an agreement, although he offered no details about any potential negotiations.
“They want to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out,” he said.
Trump also claimed he had heard from Iran “directly” but did not elaborate.
The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to strike Israel and US bases in Gulf states.
The conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy route that carried about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the war.
Traders have warned that a prolonged shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline could remove as much as 4% of global oil supplies from the market. Saudi Arabia has not announced when the pipeline will resume operations.
Brent crude was trading around $108 a barrel on Wednesday, close to its highest level since May, while the average US retail diesel price rose above $6.30 per gallon for the first time.
However, oil prices declined early Thursday after reports that Saudi Arabia was offering additional crude cargoes through Oman eased some concerns about supply disruptions.
Brent crude futures fell $1.24, or 1.2%, to $104.59 a barrel by 00:49 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures declined $1.14, or 1.1%, to $101.29.
Trump says Houthis asked US not to intervene in Yemen
Trump expected to meet Gulf leaders
Axios reported late Wednesday that Trump was expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the next phase of the conflict.
The report, citing unnamed sources, said Trump was expected to meet leaders or foreign ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
The State Department and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The conflict and its impact on oil and gas prices have also become a major issue for Trump’s Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.
Fighting intensifies in Yemen
The Houthis released battlefield footage on Wednesday showing fighters taking armoured vehicles from Saudi-backed forces. The footage also showed warplanes flying overhead and large explosions in desert areas.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had launched fresh drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s major Red Sea oil port of Yanbu and an airbase at Khamis Mushait in the kingdom’s south. He did not specify when the attacks took place.
Saree also claimed Saudi Arabia had carried out as many as 450 air strikes on Yemen during the week.
Officials in the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, which controls parts of southern Yemen, acknowledged that their forces and Saudi Arabia were conducting air strikes against Houthi positions. Riyadh has not publicly confirmed the reported scale of the strikes.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting the Houthis since 2015. The conflict had largely quietened under a ceasefire in recent years but intensified again after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and launched attacks on areas in the kingdom’s south.
