WASHINGTON/RIYADH: US President Donald Trump has rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct American military strikes against Yemen’s Houthis, according to Axios, in a report cited by Reuters on Friday.
The Saudi crown prince reportedly spoke with Trump twice on Thursday, seeking US military action as Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory intensify. The Houthis have recently targeted cities and energy facilities in southern Saudi Arabia, while Saudi-led forces have responded with extensive airstrikes inside Yemen.
US officials said Washington instead intends to increase assistance to Saudi Arabia without entering directly into the renewed Yemen conflict. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, travelled to Saudi Arabia for urgent consultations, according to the report.
The Trump administration is currently concentrating its forces on the continuing conflict with Iran and efforts to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has meanwhile been seeking broader international cooperation to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks. Neither the White House nor the Saudi embassy immediately commented publicly on the reported conversations.