Saudi Arabia signaled it may launch a large-scale military operation against the Houthis in Yemen even without direct US involvement, according to an American official cited by ABC News. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pressed President Trump for direct US military intervention in two phone calls on Thursday. No final decision has been made, and Washington currently offers intelligence support but no direct strikes.
Saudi Arabia has signaled that it may proceed with a large-scale military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen even without direct U.S. involvement, according to an American official cited by ABC News. The official said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pressed President Donald Trump for direct U.S. military intervention during two phone calls on Thursday. Riyadh has not yet made a final decision, and the U.S. currently provides intelligence support and targeting assistance without planning direct strikes in Yemen. The new account, published late Friday, adds a notable shift: while Washington has declined direct strikes, Saudi Arabia is now indicating a willingness to act independently.
The report follows a series of Friday developments that The Zioneer covered throughout the day. At 07:11 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported journalist Barak Ravid's initial account that MBS asked Trump twice to strike the Houthis and was refused. That account was followed by confirmatory reports from ynet, Axios, and additional reports citing U.S. officials, all published at 07:11 Jerusalem. Axios added that CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper visited Saudi Arabia and that up to 200 U.S. troops are deployed there. By 14:53 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported a Russian media account claiming MBS had asked Trump to bomb the Houthis and Trump refused, citing unnamed U.S. media. The sourcing has evolved from a single journalist's report to multiple outlets, and now to an on-record U.S. official cited by ABC News.
Saudi preparations for a major campaign against the Houthis have been reported for weeks. On July 14, journalist Barak Ravid reported that MBS had received Trump's approval for a Houthi campaign during a phone call, as The Zioneer reported at 06:18 Jerusalem. On August 1, The Zioneer reported that Saudi Arabia was reportedly preparing for a large-scale operation, including naval activity in the Red Sea and potential ground maneuvers. The Houthi threat remains active: on August 6, the Houthi military spokesman announced a large-scale ballistic missile operation against Saudi military camps in eastern Yemen, and on August 9, unverified reports indicated the Houthis had launched a major new offensive.
It remains unclear whether Saudi Arabia will indeed launch the operation, or whether the signals are intended as leverage for greater U.S. involvement. No independent confirmation of Riyadh's final decision is available.
10 developments
Source and signal
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