Barrack Signals Shift in US Middle East Policy as Yemen Fighting Escalates

Washington is reassessing its approach to the Middle East as conflicts involving Iran and Yemen increase pressure on regional security, US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, on October 20, 2026. He said the United States no longer seeks to dominate the region but intends to maintain its presence while reconsidering the limits of military intervention.

Barrack, who also serves as a US special envoy for Syria, questioned the effectiveness of previous American efforts to reshape governments. His remarks came as Washington and Tehran continued negotiations over ending the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has destabilized the region and disrupted global energy supplies.

Describing the revised American approach, Barrack said the priority was to remain engaged without seeking control.

"The US no longer wants to own," said Barrack. "The bargain is not to control, but to not leave. We're not leaving."

He also acknowledged that governments across the region increasingly recognize the limits of American assistance in resolving their security challenges.

"Everybody is saying: OK, I can't rely on America to solve all my problems," Barrack said.

Barrack said the United States had been involved in 23 regime changes across the wider Middle East and questioned whether those interventions had achieved their intended results.

"Every time we try and intervene, change the person or the regime, it seems to have been a mistake," he said.

Political analyst Luciano Zaccara told Al Jazeera that Barrack's assessment reflected the shortcomings of American intervention across successive administrations. Zaccara said the remarks suggested that regime change, one of President Donald Trump's stated objectives in the war on Iran, was unlikely to succeed.

Qatar said diplomatic efforts to end the conflict were continuing despite concerns that fighting could resume. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said mediators were exchanging messages between Washington and Tehran with support from regional partners.

"We are working between the parties, continuing our job as mediator with our partners and others in the region," al-Ansari said.

He said limited public information about the talks did not necessarily indicate a lack of progress.

"The fact that we're not hearing about it is a good sign that we're doing our job properly," he said.

Iran's seven-day proposal to end the war remained on the table, with Washington yet to respond, according to Al Jazeera. The proposal calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations in exchange for US concessions, including lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports and easing economic sanctions.

Analyst Negar Mortazavi said negotiations remained stalled over the terms and sequencing of a potential agreement. She said Tehran wanted an end to the war but opposed accepting terms under military or economic pressure.

"Tehran wants to end the war, but it is not prepared to surrender under military or economic pressure," Mortazavi told Al Jazeera.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical point of tension as attacks on commercial shipping threaten energy supplies. Before the war, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies passed through the waterway, according to Al Jazeera.

Mortazavi said Iran retained some ability to pressure Washington despite its military disadvantages, while warning that further escalation carried substantial risks for Iran and neighboring countries.

"Iran's leverage has diminished but has not disappeared," she said. "Moving tankers is not the same as restoring safe, predictable and normal maritime traffic."

She said Tehran was seeking to raise the economic and political costs of the conflict for Trump and demonstrate that military action against Iran could have consequences for future US administrations.

"Ultimately, neither military escalation nor economic pressure is likely to produce Iranian capitulation," she said.

Separately, Qatar reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia as fighting intensified between Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Houthi armed group. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Doha supported Riyadh in defending its sovereignty against the attacks.

The conflict escalated in September after Houthi forces seized areas along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the port city of Mocha. Forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government launched Operation Dawn of Yemen on October 4, backed by Saudi airstrikes.

The Houthis responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi airports, oil facilities and military installations. Strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport earlier in October killed at least 14 people and wounded hundreds, according to Al Jazeera.

A separate report published by The Jerusalem Post on October 20 said Yemen's government forces had intensified operations in Taiz. Citing Saudi media outlet Arab News, the report said a Yemeni military spokesperson claimed government forces carried out 1,164 strikes and neutralized an estimated 558 Houthi fighters over a 24-hour period, while destroying or damaging 135 military vehicles and pieces of equipment.

The Jerusalem Post also reported that the Houthis had deployed at least 10 religious advisers to Mocha and other western coastal fronts to encourage fighters and bolster morale. The report cited Al-Ain News, which said the advisers were being used to strengthen the group's resolve as government forces advanced.

Saudi Arabia has taken a cautious approach while seeking to reverse Houthi gains made in September, according to The Jerusalem Post. The report said Riyadh was pursuing support from Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, while Egypt was considering sending forces to assist Saudi Arabia.

The Jerusalem Post also reported that the United Kingdom could send Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to help protect Saudi Arabia, citing Bloomberg. The United States, meanwhile, has been reluctant to intervene directly in the Yemen conflict as regional governments consider additional military involvement.