The Zioneer reports, citing Arab-world channels, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump twice on Thursday asking the U.S. to attack in Yemen; Trump refused, according to the report, but sent advisers. The account is not independently confirmed, and no details were given on the advisers' mission or any follow-up U.S. action.
Three hours after The Zioneer's first report on the Saudi request, a new detail entered the story this morning. A claim circulating in Arab-world Telegram channels says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on Thursday asking for U.S. strikes in Yemen, and that Trump refused but dispatched U.S. advisers. The claim surfaced Friday morning, September 11; its sender noted the irony of a Saudi official requesting U.S. strike flights a day before the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
By Friday 07:11 Jerusalem, The Zioneer had published five versions of the thread. The first, from journalist Barak Ravid, said the crown prince asked Trump to strike the Houthis and was refused. An account carried by ynet said Trump ruled out U.S. strikes. A later version, citing two U.S. officials, specified two calls on Thursday and said the Iran-backed Houthis were approaching a vital Red Sea maritime chokepoint, with officials saying the administration has no plans to intervene directly. The Axios-based version added that CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper visited Saudi Arabia for urgent coordination meetings and that up to 200 U.S. troops are deployed in the country.
Across those versions, sourcing broadened from a single journalist's report to two U.S. officials and then to the Axios report, with U.S. officials stressing Washington has no intention of entering the Yemen conflict.
What remains unverified is the advisers detail: it rests on the Telegram channels claim alone, with no independent confirmation and no specifics on the advisers' mission, any targets contemplated, or any expected U.S. response.
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