Retired Colonel: Israel Can Aid Saudi Arabia Against Houthis, Demands Abraham Accords
Retired Colonel Amir Noy, a member of the Commanders and Fighters Forum, believes Israel can provide intelligence and aircraft targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia in its conflict with the Houthi rebels. However, Noy insists that any such aid must be contingent upon significant political and economic concessions from Riyadh, including its formal entry into the Abraham Accords.
Noy stated that Saudi Arabia, facing a difficult situation after recent attacks, has turned to Egypt for mediation, which in turn approached Israel. While Israel will not send troops to fight for Saudi Arabia, it possesses advanced capabilities in target identification and guidance systems, even beyond the atmosphere, which could enable Saudi pilots to strike targets accurately. "We can give a Saudi pilot coordinates for a target, and he can just calibrate the instruments and hit the target," Noy explained, adding that indirect assistance could also involve low-flying, unmanned assets.
Crucially, Noy emphasized that this assistance should not be free. He suggested that Israel, in coordination with the United States, should leverage Saudi Arabia's current vulnerability to push for normalization. This would require Saudi Arabia to de-prioritize the Palestinian issue and cease mentioning it. Israel could also impose conditions related to regional security, economic matters, and energy supplies.
Noy drew parallels to past U.S.-brokered agreements, suggesting a similar approach could be used now, potentially involving Egypt as well. He anticipates the U.S. will offer active assistance to a highly pressured Saudi Arabia, but only if Riyadh agrees to a package of economic and other measures, effectively forcing their hand to resolve the Houthi threat. Noy believes such an agreement can be handled discreetly, avoiding public humiliation for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with the public narrative differing from the actual behind-the-scenes deal.
He further posited that the Houthi attacks have inadvertently played into the hands of the U.S. and Israel, potentially creating a regional turning point against Iran if Saudi Arabia relies on Israeli defense. Noy also advocated for a different approach to normalization, favoring the gradual building of trust through civilian projects in medicine, agriculture, and technology over formal ceremonies and immediate embassy openings, believing this fosters more sustainable relations.
