The United States called on Houthis on Wednesday to stop escalating the conflict in Yemen and demonstrate a commitment to dialogue, a day after an attack on a Saudi oil tanker by the Iran-allied group.

"The United States is very concerned about the Houthis' latest attempt to escalate the war in Yemen, this time by attacking a commercial vessel while it transited one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the Bab al-Mandab, in international waters," the White House said in a statement.