Saudi defense minister discusses de-escalation, Houthi attacks with US’s Hegseth

The readout is thin on substance: no detail on response options, no timeline, and no indication of whether Washington is being asked to do more than Riyadh. That silence is itself the signal — de-escalation language paired with an unresolved Houthi threat suggests the emphasis is on containing escalation rather than answering it. For Gulf markets and Red Sea shipping risk, the relevant question is whether this stays a diplomatic track or becomes a military one; the absence of any stated response plan leaves that open.