Donald Trump Hopes Iran Conflict Nears End as Houthi-Saudi Fighting Escalates

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, that he hopes an end to the ongoing war against Iran is near. The conflict, now in its seventh month, has intensified as Saudi aircraft pound Yemen and Iran-backed Houthi fighters launch drones and missiles at Saudi cities.

The conflict originated on February 28 when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, prompting Tehran to strike Israel and U.S. bases in Gulf states. President Trump remarked to reporters that he hopes the war is approaching its final stages, reiterating past comments that Iran wants to make a deal. He also noted that he had heard from Iran directly, though he did not elaborate further on those communications.

As the war extends into a new theatre, the United States has tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia. The directive bans government employees from travelling within 30 kilometres, or 20 miles, of the Yemen border. Meanwhile, the Houthi movement has carried out a lightning advance along the Red Sea and launched attacks targeting Saudi cities, including strikes that damaged Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline.

The widening hostilities have heightened global oil-supply risks and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas prior to the conflict. Traders indicated that a prolonged closure of the Saudi East-West pipeline could cut off as much as 4% of the global oil supply. Saudi Arabia has not yet specified when pipeline operations might resume.

Financial markets reacted to the shifting supply landscape. Brent crude hovered around $108 a barrel on Wednesday, nearing its highest levels since May, while the U.S. average retail price of diesel fuel surpassed $6.30 a gallon, hitting a new all-time high. However, oil prices retreated in early Thursday trade following reports that Saudi Arabia was offering extra crude cargoes through Oman, which helped ease fears of West Asian supply disruptions. Brent crude futures dropped 1.2% to $104.59 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 1.1% to $101.29.

The economic strains and rising energy prices have emerged as a significant political issue for President Trump's Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. Mr. Trump has previously offered shifting goals and timelines for the conflict, including claims that the war would end right after the midterms or within a matter of weeks.

In Yemen, the fighting has grown increasingly violent. The Houthis released battlefield video footage on Wednesday showing fighters seizing armoured vehicles from Saudi-backed forces amid desert explosions and overhead warplanes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree reported that the group launched fresh drone and missile strikes targeting the major Saudi Red Sea oil port of Yanbu and a southern Saudi airbase at Khamis Mushait.

Spokesman Saree also claimed that Saudi forces had carried out up to 450 airstrikes on Yemen during the week. Officials within the Saudi-backed government controlling southern Yemen acknowledged that their forces, alongside Saudi military units, were conducting strikes on Houthi positions, although Riyadh has not formally confirmed them.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition battling the Houthis since 2015. While the conflict had largely quietened under a recent ceasefire, hostilities reignited when the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and began firing upon southern areas within the kingdom.

Looking ahead to diplomatic developments, Axios reported late Wednesday that President Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Citing unidentified sources, the report stated that Mr. Trump would meet with leaders or foreign ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, which include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, to discuss next steps in the conflict. The White House and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment regarding the planned meetings.