Israel Shares Intelligence on Houthis with Saudi Arabia via US Command

Israel is providing intelligence support to Saudi Arabia in its escalating conflict with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to regional diplomatic sources. This assistance is being channeled to Riyadh through the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), without direct Israeli operational involvement in the fighting. The issue was discussed on Monday in Jeddah between CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The cooperation comes as Washington seeks to avoid opening another military front. Last week, Prince Mohammed had approached former President Donald Trump to request U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis. Trump reportedly refused, but U.S. officials indicated the administration would supply Saudi Arabia with intelligence and targeting assistance.

The conflict has reached a new intensity on the ground. Houthi threats have extended to the holy city of Mecca for the first time in the current escalation, with alerts also triggered in Jeddah, Taif, Abha, Jizan, Al-'Ula, and the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. The Saudi-led coalition reported that 13 civilians sustained minor to moderate injuries in attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, with damage to homes and vehicles.

Concurrently, the Houthi rebels have achieved significant gains within Yemen, advancing along the Red Sea coast, capturing the port city of Mocha, and the strategic Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. This control heightens the threat to shipping lanes, causing severe concern in Riyadh, which relies on the Red Sea for oil exports following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.