Trump: Israel Aided Saudi Arabia Against Houthis, Abraham Accords Back on Table
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Israel has aided Saudi Arabia against Houthi rebels and that the Abraham Accords are back on the table. This comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including recent strikes on Riyadh's airport and Aramco headquarters. While Trump did not announce new agreements, reports suggest Israel has been sharing intelligence with Saudi Arabia via the U.S. Normalization talks, previously close, were frozen by the Gaza war, with Saudi Arabia now linking relations to a Palestinian state.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- President Trump stated Israel has aided Saudi Arabia against Houthi rebels.
- Trump indicated the possibility of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords is back on the table.
- The comments follow recent Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including Riyadh's airport.
- Reports suggest Israel has been sharing intelligence with Saudi Arabia via the U.S.
- Normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia were frozen by the Gaza war.
- Saudi Arabia now links diplomatic relations to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated Friday that Israel has assisted Saudi Arabia in its conflict against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and that the possibility of the Kingdom joining the Abraham Accords is back on the table, "perhaps more than ever." Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump responded affirmatively when asked if Saudi Arabia should accept Israeli aid against the Houthis, adding that the Kingdom is pleased to receive support from both Israel and the United States. He did not specify the nature of the assistance.
The comments come amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including a recent strike on Riyadh's airport that killed at least 12 and injured over 300, and another on the Aramco headquarters in Dhahran. These attacks have disrupted flights, economic conferences, and international sporting events, impacting Saudi Arabia's efforts to attract investment. The Saudi-led coalition announced on Friday that it intercepted drones and missiles near Riyadh and the Red Sea, with no new damage reported.
Trump did not announce a formal resumption of normalization talks or new agreements between Jerusalem and Riyadh. However, reports from September 2023, citing a regional diplomat, indicated that Israel had begun sharing intelligence with Saudi Arabia via the U.S. This intelligence sharing was reportedly initiated after Saudi Arabia requested American assistance, which was then relayed to Israel. A foreign source familiar with the matter mentioned that U.S. representatives had proposed a regional mechanism in Cairo to aid Saudi Arabia, with Israeli intelligence, informed by the IDF's experience against the Houthis, aimed at securing maritime passage in the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015. A ceasefire in 2022 halted fighting, but Riyadh resumed operations last month to counter Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast toward the Bab al-Mandab, a strategic shipping lane. The Houthis have since expanded their attacks deeper into Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia is reportedly attempting to target Houthi revenue streams, with one source suggesting the escalation aims to create economic and internal pressure to cease fighting. An oil storage facility in Sanaa was attacked following an evacuation warning.
Normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia appeared close before the October 7th Hamas attacks, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stating in September 2023 that the parties were nearing an agreement daily. The Gaza war froze these discussions, and in September 2024, bin Salman clarified that diplomatic relations would not be established without a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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