Current sectionMiddle East NewsTrump effectively handed the kingdom responsibility for solving its Houthi problem and it will have to choose between another war and recognizing the Houthi force in Yemen. The kingdom's decision could affect the future of the entire regionShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeZvi Bar'el09:40 PM • September 13 2026 IDTTwo phone calls Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made to President Donald Trump on Thursday offered a glimpse of the strategic shift taking shape across the Middle East. According to Axios, bin Salman sought Trump's help after Houthi rebels seized the Mokha port near Hodeidah. Trump said no. He agreed to provide intelligence – assistance the United States was already supplying – but made clear that there would be no direct American military involvement.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:Saudi ArabiaDonald TrumpHouthisIran - U.S.IranYemenCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Live UpdatesNetanyahu October 7NAZAWest BankRosh Hashana Saudi PipelineAfD-ElbitIsrael Election PollsHaQuizHaaretz PodcastTrump Lets Saudi Arabia Fend for Itself as the Houthis Disrupt Red Sea Oil FlowWhat Everyone Misunderstands About Israelis Who Leave the Haredi WorldDirector of Gaza War Documentary 'NAZA': We Intend to Distribute Film in IsraelTurkey Arrests 162 People in Nationwide Raids Targeting LGBTQ CommunitySettlers Set Up Compound Near Arab-Israeli Town, Flexing Presence in NorthRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMINetanyahu Got an Explicit Warning Before Oct. 7. He Didn't Brief Security ChiefsIsraeli Documentary on Gaza Receives Record 25-minute Standing Ovation at VeniceNetanyahu Was Warned About October 7. Will Haaretz's Exposé Change Anything?Netanyahu Says He Will Sue Haaretz Following Oct. 7 ExposéIMDb Replaces the Name Israel With 'The Occupied Palestinian Territories''Baby, an Update: He's Just Died': Israeli Guards' Texts Reveal Abuse in Prison