The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East is once again at a boiling point, and the United States must wake up to a critical, yet often overlooked, enabler of chaos: Oman. While its capital, Muscat, enjoys a reputation for neutrality and diplomacy, the reality is far more duplicitous.
Behind closed doors, Oman has provided sanctuary, logistical support, and possibly even direct aid to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
This quiet but decisive role has prolonged the war, threatened international trade routes, and, most alarmingly, put American strategic interests at risk. It is time for Washington to hold Oman accountable.
For years, Oman has branded itself as a peaceful mediator, refusing to join the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis and instead positioning itself as a diplomatic go-between.
Yet, beneath this carefully crafted facade lies a disturbing reality.
Oman is not neutral
Muscat has granted refuge to top Houthi officials, including Mohammed Abdul Salam, the group’s chief negotiator and de facto foreign minister. The fact that Houthi leadership operates freely from Omani soil, coordinating attacks and negotiating their survival, raises serious doubts about Oman’s supposed neutrality.
Even more damning is Oman’s role in facilitating the Houthis’ access to weapons and financial networks. Multiple reports have surfaced detailing a smuggling corridor running through Oman that supplies the rebels with arms.
US and allied naval forces have repeatedly intercepted shipments of advanced weaponry, including drones and missile components, destined for Houthi-controlled areas, many of which are believed to have passed through Oman.
This support has had devastating consequences. The Houthis, empowered by their external backers, have become a direct threat to global shipping.
Their attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea have forced companies to reroute ships around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant costs to international trade.
The security of one of the world’s most vital maritime routes is now in jeopardy, and Oman’s role in enabling this disruption can no longer be ignored.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on commercial and naval vessels, sinking two ships and seizing another, killing four crew members in the process. These assaults have triggered a massive military response from the United States and its allies.
President Donald Trump recently ordered large-scale airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen, a decisive but costly intervention that could have been avoided had the Houthis not been allowed to flourish unchecked.
The latest US airstrike on Houthi positions underscores the severity of the threat. American fighter jets launched a precision strike against key Houthi military installations, destroying weapons depots, missile launch sites, and command centers.
This operation, ordered by President Trump, was a direct response to the Houthis’ escalating aggression in the Red Sea and their attacks on international shipping lanes.
According to Pentagon officials, the strike was aimed at crippling the Houthis’ operational capacity and sending a clear message that the US will not tolerate continued disruptions to global trade and security. However, this military action, while necessary, only addresses the symptoms of a much larger problem.
The true source of the Houthis’ resilience lies in their external support network – of which Oman is a critical part. Without Muscat’s assistance in facilitating arms transfers and providing diplomatic cover, the Houthis would not have been able to sustain their military campaign at this level.
Houthi threat is broad
The threat posed by the Houthis extends beyond Yemen and the Red Sea. By providing them with arms and safe harbor, Oman has strengthened Iran’s proxy network, which includes Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and other destabilizing forces across the region.
This emboldened alliance has wreaked havoc from Lebanon to the Persian Gulf, undermining US influence and threatening key allies. Oman’s role in this wider strategy must be recognized for what it is: an indirect but significant contribution to Iranian aggression.
Oman’s duplicity demands a firm response from Washington.
How to deal with Oman
Policymakers must abandon outdated notions of Oman as a neutral actor and confront its role in sustaining one of the most dangerous militant groups in the region. Diplomatic pressure is the first step.
The United States must make it clear to Muscat that continued support for the Houthis – whether through direct aid, weapons smuggling, or the provision of safe havens – will not be tolerated.
This message must be reinforced through targeted economic measures. Oman benefits significantly from economic and military partnerships with the United States, and these privileges should be contingent on its willingness to curb its assistance to the Houthis.
Beyond diplomacy and economic pressure, the US must also ramp up intelligence-sharing efforts with regional partners to track and disrupt illicit arms shipments passing through Oman.
A more aggressive interdiction strategy in the Gulf of Oman and surrounding areas is necessary to cut off the flow of weapons. If Muscat refuses to cooperate, then further measures, including sanctions on Omani entities facilitating the smuggling network, should be implemented.
Another key factor in addressing Oman’s role is the need for increased oversight of its financial system.
The US Treasury Department must scrutinize Omani banks and businesses that may be facilitating transactions for Houthi leaders.
Financial sanctions have been an effective tool against other state and non-state actors engaged in illicit activities, and they should be applied here as well. Freezing assets linked to Houthi operatives and their Omani enablers could significantly disrupt their ability to fund military operations.
Furthermore, Congress must push for greater accountability in US foreign aid and military assistance to Oman.
While Muscat enjoys a favorable standing among American policymakers, this relationship must be reevaluated in light of its actions. Conditionality should be imposed on military and economic aid, ensuring that any continued support from Washington depends on verifiable steps taken by Oman to sever ties with the Houthis.
In a broader strategic context, the US should work closely with regional allies to develop alternative logistical and trade routes that bypass Oman’s influence. By reducing reliance on Omani ports and land routes, the leverage Muscat holds over regional trade can be diminished, further incentivizing it to abandon its support for the Houthis.
Amine Ayoub, a fellow at the Middle East Forum, is a policy analyst and writer based in Morocco. Follow him on X: @amineayoubx.