Saudi Arabia asked Trump for assistance in fighting the Houthis - and was rejected

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked US President Donald Trump on Thursday for military assistance against the Houthis. Trump refused direct military action but agreed to help with intelligence sharing and target identification. The request comes amid Houthi advances toward Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked US President Donald Trump on Thursday for military assistance in the fight against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen. According to three sources familiar with the matter, Trump spoke with bin Salman at least twice that day but did not agree to the US attacking the Houthis. Washington told Riyadh it would assist through intelligence sharing and help with target identification. The Saudi request comes amid an escalation in Houthi activity along Red Sea coasts. Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that the rebels advanced south along the coast and reached Perim Island in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday. Houthi control of the strait could give Iran a significant advantage in its war against the US by disrupting another major shipping route and limiting oil supplies. The escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis began in early July after Houthi forces clashed with Saudi fighter jets. According to a former US official, bin Salman's appeal was meant to test whether the US was willing to increase military pressure on the Houthis. He said, "For now they were told no, but developments need to be monitored."