International
oi-Prakash KL
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on Thursday and asked him to launch strikes against the Houthis, Axios reported, citing two U.S. officials.
However, Trump turned down the request. U.S. officials said the administration has no plans for direct military action against the Houthis at this point, according to the report.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump to strike the Houthis, but Trump declined, prioritizing focus on Iran and avoiding new military fronts, although U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper held talks in Saudi Arabia amid rising Yemen violence.
Behind the refusal lies a broader calculation in Washington. The U.S. is increasingly alarmed by the escalating conflict in Yemen and is expanding support for Saudi Arabia, but wants to avoid being drawn into the fighting directly.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, flew to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent coordination talks, the report said. U.S. officials have told their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks that Trump’s directive is to keep American forces concentrated on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, and to avoid opening another military front, Axios added.
The latest surge in violence traces back to early July, when the Houthis said their forces confronted Saudi warplanes trying to stop an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport. Reuters reported earlier in July that Saudi Arabia was seeking an international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks.
Fighting has since spread across Yemen. The internationally recognized government blamed the Houthis for an artillery attack that killed three children, while Saudi Arabia accused the Iran-backed group of continuing to strike the kingdom’s infrastructure. Those claims came Wednesday, the same day the Houthis vowed retaliation for what they described as 54 Saudi airstrikes over a 12-hour span.
With inputs from Reuters
