Trump Says Israel Assists Saudi Arabia Against Houthi Rebels

Donald Trump announced Friday that Israel is providing assistance to Saudi Arabia to counter Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Speaking at the White House, the president suggested that Saudi Arabia is more likely than ever to join the Abraham Accords, linking potential normalization to the kingdom's satisfaction with American and Israeli support.

The announcement follows an intensified Houthi offensive against Saudi oil facilities, military installations, and airports. A missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh recently killed between 12 and 17 people.

While Trump highlighted the cooperation, reports indicate the assistance primarily involves intelligence-sharing facilitated by U.S. Central Command. U.S. officials have considered direct Israeli military strikes against the Houthis, but IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir cautioned that such actions could trigger a broader confrontation with Iran. Despite the security cooperation, some sources indicate that Saudi Arabia still requires a path to Palestinian statehood and maintains distrust of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.