The Red Sea is witnessing escalating developments as Houthi forces advance towards one of the world's crucial maritime passages, raising alarms about potential threats to trade routes and oil exports. U.S. sources reveal high-level Saudi efforts to compel Washington to consider military intervention.
According to journalist Barak Ravid's report on "Axios," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reached out to U.S. President Donald Trump twice on a Thursday, urging military strikes on the Iran-backed Houthis nearing a strategic corridor. However, Trump turned down the request, as per American officials, stating no immediate plans for direct action against the Houthis.
The urgency comes as oil prices surged following Houthi control over a strategic Yemeni coastal city, inching closer to the Bab al-Mandab strait. This strait is crucial for global trade and Saudi oil exports.
As Iran already disrupts the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi control over Bab al-Mandab could offer Tehran new leverage against the U.S. and Gulf allies. Concerned about the escalating crisis in Yemen, Washington has boosted its support for Saudi Arabia while avoiding direct military engagement.
U.S. Central Command's Admiral Brad Cooper arrived in Saudi Arabia for urgent coordination meetings, according to informed sources, though both the Saudi embassy in Washington and the White House declined to comment.
The Saudi-Houthi conflict reignited in July after Riyadh blocked an Iranian plane carrying high-level Houthi officials from landing in Sana'a. Subsequently, Crown Prince Mohammed sought political backing from Trump for an airstrike on Sana'a airport, not requiring U.S. military aid, which Trump endorsed.
The Houthis retaliated by attacking Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening a vital route for Saudi oil exports, and later expanded their attacks to include energy facilities within Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies responded with airstrikes and ground attacks on Houthi positions. Riyadh's current call for direct U.S. military intervention marks a shift from their stance in July, where they claimed self-sufficiency against the Houthis.
However, with intensified fighting, Saudi requests for U.S. support have escalated. Discussions have revealed that Trump's directives favor focusing U.S. forces on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, avoiding a new front.
On Thursday, as Houthi forces pressed toward the coastal city of Al-Mokha and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces retreated, Mohammed bin Salman contacted Trump regarding the worsening situation. Hours later, he requested U.S. strikes against the Houthis again.
Trump refused, offering intelligence support instead. An American official stated that approximately 200 U.S. military personnel are already in Saudi Arabia, providing non-combat support.
A senior Trump administration official emphasized the U.S. priority to keep the Red Sea open for navigation, expecting regional partners to manage larger security challenges.
The official noted, "The U.S. focuses on safeguarding our core national security interests, such as ensuring Red Sea freedom of navigation, while empowering regional partners to take the lead in addressing and solving regional security challenges."
He added, "We engage continuously with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government on regional stability."
Thus, the communications between Prince Mohammed and Trump highlight Saudi concerns about developments in Yemen, with Washington maintaining a delicate balance: supporting Riyadh without initiating a new U.S. military front in the Red Sea.