US website: The United States must pressure Oman to end the Houthi presence in the Sultanate.

An article by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) called on the United States to pressure Oman to end the Houthi presence in the Sultanate, noting that Omani territory is a conduit for Houthi weapons and a haven for their leaders.

This came in response to the seizure of advanced Houthi weapons on the Omani-Yemeni border. On March 24, Yemeni authorities intercepted 800 Chinese-made drone propellers smuggled to the Houthis through the Sarfait border crossing with Oman in Yemen's Al Mahrah Governorate.

He pointed out that Oman is often portrayed as the "Switzerland of the Middle East," but its role in the Red Sea crisis tells a different story. Far from being neutral, it hosts and aids the Iran-backed Houthi group, which the United States now designates as a foreign terrorist organization.

Since 2015, Oman has been a major transit point for weapons destined for the Houthis. In 2017, drones used by the Houthis entered Yemen via Oman. A year later, the United Nations reported that Iranian Burkan-2H missiles were smuggled into Yemen via Omani territory. Last year, Yemeni authorities intercepted advanced military equipment, including drone support systems and radar jammers, at the Sarfit crossing in Al Mahrah Governorate.

Oman also provides safe haven to Houthi officials, allowing them to operate freely under the protection of the regime in Muscat. Among these officials is Mohammed Abdul Salam, the group's chief negotiator and de facto foreign minister, whom the US Treasury Department sanctioned, citing his role in managing the Houthis' local and international funding networks and facilitating their efforts to obtain weapons and support from Russia.

According to the article, the Omani government has long justified the presence of the Houthi leadership on its territory as part of efforts to mediate a solution to the Yemeni civil war. However, the Houthi presence in Oman has neither contributed to ending the civil war nor to mitigating their aggression in the Red Sea. The Houthis continue to attack American ships and pose a continuing threat to American interests in the region.

Based on this, the article argues that the United States should demand that Oman halt Houthi operations within its borders and expel their leaders. If Oman refuses, Washington should consider imposing sanctions on Omani individuals and entities that support the Houthis.