Iran has ordered its military personnel to leave Yemen, effectively abandoning its long-time Houthi allies as the United States is escalating its airstrike campaign against the rebel group, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.

A senior Iranian official cited by the British publication said the decision was driven by Tehran’s desire to avoid direct confrontation with Washington, particularly in the event that an Iranian soldier was killed in the ongoing hostilities.

The official further indicated that Iran is reassessing its broader regional strategy, shifting its focus away from supporting proxy groups in favor of addressing direct threats from the United States. Tehran’s overriding concern, the source said, is how to manage potential tensions with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming U.S. election.

“Every meeting is dominated by discussions about him, and none of the regional groups we previously supported are being discussed,” the source revealed.

The development comes amid near-daily U.S. strikes against the Houthis. The sustained attacks have placed increasing pressure on the Iran-backed group, which has played a central role in regional conflicts.

An Iranian regime insider suggested that Tehran sees the Houthis as a diminishing asset.

“The view here is that the Houthis will not be able to survive and are living their final months or even days, so there is no point in keeping them on our list,” the source said.

“They were part of a chain that relied on [Hezbollah’s former secretary-general Hassan] Nasrallah and [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad, and keeping only one part of that chain for the future makes no sense.”