Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice called President Donald Trump on Thursday to urge the United States to launch strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis as the group advanced toward a strategically important Red Sea chokepoint. Trump rejected the request, according to two US officials cited by Axios.
The calls came as Houthi forces captured the coastal city of Mokha in Yemen, bringing them closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key route for global commerce and Saudi oil exports. The development has heightened US concerns that Houthi control of the waterway could provide Iran with another means of pressuring Washington and its Gulf allies, particularly as Tehran is already disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Axios report, MBS initially contacted Trump to brief him on the worsening situation as Houthi forces moved toward Mokha and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces withdrew. Several hours later, the Saudi crown prince called again and pressed Trump to authorize US military strikes against the Houthis.
Trump again declined. A US official said Washington would instead provide Saudi Arabia with intelligence on Houthi positions and targeting information.
Approximately 200 US military personnel are already stationed in Saudi Arabia, where they are providing non-kinetic support, according to the official, consistent with an earlier CNN report.
The United States is increasingly concerned about the escalation in Yemen and is seeking to bolster Saudi Arabia without becoming directly involved in the fighting. Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent coordination meetings, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
A senior Trump administration official said the immediate US objective is to preserve freedom of navigation in the Red Sea while allowing regional countries to take the lead in addressing the wider conflict.
“The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests – such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea – while empowering our regional partners to take the lead in managing and resolving regional security challenges,” the official told Axios.
“We are in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen Government regarding regional stability.”
The Saudi embassy in Washington and the White House declined to comment.
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