Mohammed bin Salman sought U.S. military help over Houthi threat; Trump declined

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday for military assistance to counter Houthi forces in Yemen, two sources familiar with the matter said, as Houthi activity in the Red Sea has intensified.

According to those sources, Trump held at least two phone calls with the Saudi leader. Washington ultimately told Riyadh it was not prepared to undertake direct military action for now but would assist by sharing intelligence and helping to identify targets.

The White House did not immediately comment, but a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the United States remains in constant dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government.

U.S. response and regional implications

"The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests – such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea – while enabling our regional partners to take the lead in managing and resolving regional security challenges," the official said.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, travelled to Saudi Arabia yesterday for talks, the sources said. Saudi government media did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Analysts say Houthi control of the Bab el‑Mandeb strait, on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz, could give their ally Iran a strategic advantage in any wider confrontation with the United States by disrupting another major shipping corridor and potentially driving oil prices higher. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has relied increasingly on the Red Sea route after the conflict with Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one‑fifth of the world's oil once transited.

Photo: press material from the event