Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called US President Trump twice Thursday and urged him to launch strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Axios outlet reported, citing two US officials.
Trump rejected the request, and US officials said the administration does not intend to take direct military action against the Houthis at this time, the Friday report said.
It was published hours before AFP reported, citing a local government official and eyewitnesses, that the Houthis have taken over a Red Sea island that is located in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane, causing the Yemeni government’s military to withdraw and completing the rebels’ push to control the area.
According to Axios, there has been a change in the Saudi position, from dealing with the Houthis alone to increasingly seeking US support. However, sources said that US military and civilian officials have told the Saudis that Trump wants to stay focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz while shying away from new fronts.
Bin Salman first called Trump to brief him on the Houthi advance toward the coastal city of Mocha, then again several hours later to urge that the US order strikes, Axios said. The Iran-backed Houthis later captured the city, gaining further leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
