Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called US President Donald Trump twice on Thursday and urged American military action against the Houthis in Yemen as the Iran-backed group approached a vital maritime chokepoint in the Red Sea, according to a report by journalist Barak Ravid citing two US officials. Trump declined to authorize strikes, and the officials emphasized the administration currently has no plans to directly intervene against the Houthis.
A report published Friday morning by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid (N12) adds a new dimension to the previously disclosed exchanges between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump: according to two US officials, the crown prince made two calls on Thursday as Houthi forces were approaching a strategic maritime chokepoint in the Red Sea. Trump declined to authorize strikes, and the administration has ruled out direct US military intervention against the Houthis for now.
The Zioneer first reported the exchange at 07:11 Friday, citing Ravid's account that MBS had requested US strikes and been refused. The same report indicated that Trump had ruled out US strikes and that MBS had made two separate calls. The new detail specifies that the Houthis were closing in on what is believed to be the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital artery for global oil and trade.
Saudi Arabia has been pressing Washington for greater military backing against the Iran-backed Houthi movement. As The Zioneer reported on July 14, MBS received Trump's approval for a military campaign against the Houthis. A July 31 account described Saudi preparations for a sea and ground offensive in central Yemen to break the Houthi oil blockade, while the Houthis have intensified attacks on Red Sea shipping, triggering multinational naval responses.
The report remains based on two unnamed US officials and has not been independently confirmed. The administration has stated it has no current plans for direct US military intervention against the Houthis. The exact chokepoint has not been officially named, though analysts assess it as the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
7 developments
Source and signal
- Open-source intake