US officials described as "completely baseless" Houthi remarks that Washington had offered the recognize their government in Sanaa in return for the Iran-backed militias to stop their attacks on international shipping.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, made the allegations on Monday. His remarks came a day after a ballistic missile from the Houthis reached central Israel for the first time, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say Israel would inflict a "heavy price" on them.
Sam Werberg, the Regional Spokesperson for the US Department of State, told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Bukhaiti's claims were not true.
"Houthi propaganda is rarely true or newsworthy. Coverage like this puts a guise of credibility on their misinformation," he added.
The US did not make any offer to recognize the Houthi government in exchange for them to stop their attacks, he stressed.
US Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin echoed Werberg’s assertions, saying the Houthi claims were baseless.
Al-Bukhaiti said the calls after attacks included some from the US and the United Kingdom indirectly through mediators and that the threats included direct US military intervention against countries that intervene militarily "in support of Gaza."
Meanwhile, a western official called on the Houthis to immediately release detained humanitarian workers.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, he stressed the need to end their illegal detainment. They have been held for nearly a hundred days.
Beside attacks on Israel, the Houthis have also continued to launch attacks on ships they say are linked or bound to Israel in support of Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.
The Houthis have damaged more than 80 ships in missile and drone attacks since November, sinking two vessels, seizing another and killing at least three crew members.
The war in the Gaza Strip started after Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack on Israel which left 1,200 people killed and around 250 foreign and Israelis taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent offensive on Gaza has so far killed 41,226 Palestinians and wounded 95,413 others, according to Gaza's health ministry.
In 2014, the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and ousted the internationally recognized legitimate government. In January, the United States put the Houthis back on its list of terrorist groups.
