‘They called us’: Has Trump abandoned Bab al-Mandeb to the Houthis?

On September 12, 2026, United States President Donald Trump stood in Dublin alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and remarked in a cool tone that the Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight us, adding that the group was allowing.

What happened

His remarks came just as Houthi forces had completed their takeover of the coastal town of Dhubab and Perim (Mayyun) Island. It divides the Bab al-Mandeb strait into two shipping channels, after seizing the strategic port of Mocha. This offered them a direct presence at the entrance to one of the world's most notable waterways.

The bottom line

In short, 'They called us': Has Trump abandoned Bab al is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.