Saudi Crown Prince Sought US Military Aid Against Houthis

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested U.S. military assistance from President Donald Trump on Thursday to counter Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen, following an escalation of threats to the Red Sea, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Trump reportedly held at least two phone calls with bin Salman on Thursday. Washington ultimately informed Riyadh that it is not prepared for direct military action at this time but will assist with intelligence sharing and target identification. The White House did not comment on specific calls but a senior U.S. administration official stated that Washington maintains ongoing communication with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government. The official emphasized the U.S. focus on protecting its core national security interests, such as freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, while enabling regional partners to lead in addressing security challenges. The Saudi government's media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for discussions, and Axios first reported the Saudi request for U.S. help. The U.S. conflict with Iran has entered its seventh month with no end in sight, impacting global oil prices and contributing to low approval ratings for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections. Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea could grant Iran a significant advantage in its conflict with the U.S. by disrupting a major shipping lane and further increasing oil prices. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has relied on the Red Sea route since the conflict with Iran made the Strait of Hormuz largely inaccessible. This escalation follows an early July incident where the Houthis claimed to have repelled Saudi warplanes attempting to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing in Sanaa. At that time, Saudi Arabia had informed the U.S. of its capability to fight the Houthis independently and urged Washington to prevent further escalation. Saudi officials have also called on their U.S. counterparts to increase economic pressure on Iran. The article also mentions a February 28th U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, followed by Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.