Israel Shares Intelligence on Houthis with Saudi Arabia via US

Israel has begun transferring intelligence information regarding the Houthi rebels to Saudi Arabia, facilitated by the United States, a regional diplomat confirmed to Kan News on Tuesday. The initiative reportedly stems from a Saudi request for US assistance, which was then relayed to Israel. Jerusalem views the Houthis as a significant regional threat.

Discussions concerning security matters, including the establishment of a joint regional mechanism to aid Saudi Arabia in its fight against the Houthis, took place in Cairo on the sidelines of a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. American representatives from CENTCOM (US Central Command) were present and proposed the mechanism. A foreign source familiar with the details indicated that American officials visiting Israel recently informed attendees in Cairo that Israel could provide substantial intelligence on the Houthis.

This intelligence sharing is partly based on Israel's own experiences with the Houthis, who initiated attacks against Israel after October 7. The primary objective is to ensure freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. This development follows reports from Friday by pro-Saudi Yemeni government sources, stating that the Houthis had completed their takeover of the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the island of Perim, from which government forces had withdrawn.

Earlier, sources aligned with the Iran-backed axis reported that the Houthis had resumed attacks against the Yemeni army and launched rocket fire in southwestern Yemen. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed in a recorded statement that the group had launched a large-scale military operation on September 3, expelling pro-Saudi forces from six areas in the Taiz and Hodeidah governorates, covering 5,400 square kilometers, despite Saudi air cover. Saree also stated that all vessels could continue to pass through Bab el-Mandeb, except for Saudi ships, which are under blockade as part of a "blockade for blockade" equation. The Houthis have recently captured the port city of Al-Mukha and the southern city of Duba.