Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly asked President Donald Trump for military help against Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Thursday, a day before the Iran-aligned group reached a strategic island inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical Red Sea oil corridor.
Intelligence Support, Not Direct Strikes
President Trump did not agree to direct U.S. strikes but offered intelligence support, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources.
Washington is in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government, one official said.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for discussions, according to the report.
The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Houthi Advance Threatens Key Oil Corridor
Yemeni government sources said Houthi forces reached Perim island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday.
The strait sits on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia now depends on the Red Sea route after the Iran conflict effectively closed Hormuz, which had carried roughly a fifth of global oil supply.
The U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28, and Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases, a conflict now in its seventh month.
Houthi’s control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could give Iran leverage over a second major oil transit route, reducing global supply options and pushing prices higher.
How the Conflict Reignited
Tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia flared again in early July, breaking a truce that had held for roughly four years. The Houthis said they moved against what they believed were Saudi jets trying to block an Iranian passenger flight from landing in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital.
Following that clash, Saudi officials told their U.S. counterparts they were prepared to handle the Houthi threat on their own and cautioned against letting the situation spiral further, Reuters reported.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
Recent Comments