Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked US President Donald Trump to direct military strikes against the Houthis, as they approached one of the most prominent strategic corridors in the Red Sea. However, Trump rejected the request, stressing that Washington does not intend to intervene militarily in the confrontation at the present time.
According to a report by journalist Barak Ravid on the Axios website, Bin Salman made two calls to Trump on Thursday, in light of the Houthi advance towards the coastal city of Mokha and the retreat of Saudi-backed Yemeni forces. During the second call, the Saudi Crown Prince urged the US President to issue an order to launch strikes against the Houthis, according to US officials.
The Saudi move came after the Houthis took control of a strategic coastal city in Yemen, bringing them closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is an essential artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports. This development led to a rise in oil prices on Thursday.
The Houthi advance raises additional concerns for Washington and its allies, especially since Iran is already obstructing shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis’ control over Bab al-Mandab, if achieved, will give Tehran a new and powerful pressure card against the United States and the Gulf states.
The report indicated that the US administration is following with concern the rapid escalation in Yemen, and has begun to strengthen its support for Saudi Arabia while trying to avoid direct military involvement. In this context, the Commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, went to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to hold urgent coordination meetings, according to two informed sources.
The Saudi Embassy in Washington or the White House did not comment on the information.
The Saudi-Houthi confrontation was renewed in July, after Riyadh prevented an Iranian plane carrying prominent Houthi officials returning from the funeral of former Iranian guide Ali Khamenei from landing in Sanaa.
At the time, Bin Salman asked Trump for political support to bomb Sanaa Airport, explaining that Saudi Arabia did not need American military assistance, and he received his support. The Houthis responded by attacking Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and threatening a vital route for the kingdom’s exports, before expanding their operations to include Saudi energy facilities. Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies responded with air strikes and ground operations against Houthi positions.
But this time, Riyadh’s request for direct American military intervention represents a sharp shift from its position in July, when it informed Washington that it was capable of dealing with the Houthis without American military assistance.
As the battles intensified, Saudi Arabia began to request increasing levels of American support. However, American military and civilian officials have informed their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks that Trump’s directives require that American forces remain focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, and avoid opening a new front.
After Trump refused to launch strikes, an American official confirmed that the administration would provide Saudi Arabia with intelligence information about the Houthis and data that would help identify targets. There are also about 200 American military personnel in Saudi Arabia providing non-combat support.
A senior Trump administration official said that Washington’s priority is to keep the Red Sea open to navigation, while leaving the broader confrontation to regional partners.
He added: “The United States is focused on protecting its core national security interests, such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, in parallel with enabling its regional partners to lead efforts to manage and address regional security challenges.”
He stressed that Washington is conducting an ongoing dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government regarding regional stability, at a time when Trump’s refusal reveals that American support for Riyadh will remain, until now, within intelligence and non-combat limits.
