&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Saudi prince asks Trump twice to strike Houthis, US president declines: Report")
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) called US President Donald Trump twice on Thursday (Sept 10) and urged him to authorise American strikes against Yemen’s Iran backed Houthi forces, Axios reported, citing two US officials.
The request came as Houthi forces advanced towards the strategically important Bab al Mandab Strait, a key Red Sea chokepoint and major maritime trade route. The waterway is also an important route for Saudi oil exports.
Trump is said to have declined the request as Washington seeks to keep its military focus on Iran and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz instead of opening another front in Yemen.
The Saudi appeal came as fighting in Yemen intensified, with Houthi forces seizing a key coastal city and moving closer to Bab al Mandab.
The latest confrontation between Riyadh and the Houthis began escalating in July after Saudi Arabia stopped an Iranian aircraft carrying senior Houthi officials from returning to Sanaa following the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The crown prince later sought Trump’s political backing for a possible Saudi strike on Sanaa airport. Riyadh had indicated that it did not require direct US military assistance at the time, and Trump backed the Saudi position.
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Saudi Arabia seeks greater US support
The latest request marks a shift from Riyadh’s position in July, when Saudi officials told Washington that they could deal with the Houthis without direct US military involvement, Axios reported.
On Thursday, Mohammed bin Salman first called Trump to brief him on the deteriorating battlefield situation as Houthi forces advanced towards the coastal city of Mokha and Saudi backed Yemeni forces pulled back.
Several hours later, he called Trump again and pressed him to order US strikes against Houthi positions. Trump is said to have declined the request.
US military and civilian officials have told their Saudi counterparts that the current directive is to keep American forces concentrated on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent discussions, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Washington is nevertheless expected to increase non combat support for Riyadh. A US official told Axios that the administration would provide intelligence and targeting information on Houthi forces.
Around 200 US military personnel are already stationed in Saudi Arabia providing non kinetic support, the official said.
A senior Trump administration official said Washington’s priority was keeping the Red Sea open while leaving the broader fight to regional partners.
"The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests — such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea — while empowering our regional partners to take the lead in managing and resolving regional security challenges," the official told Axios.
Pakistan clarifies defence pact position
The developments come as Pakistan, a treaty bound ally of Riyadh under the recently signed Mecca Pact defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, has indicated that it is not currently considering military action against the Houthis.
Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan issued the clarification on Thursday while responding to questions about the agreement signed by the three countries last month.
“There is no such thing under discussion right now ... When time comes (we) will act under the agreement,” Khan said, referring to the pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
