Trump Rejects Saudi Requests for Strikes Against Houthis

The United States has declined multiple requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to launch direct military strikes against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. Despite the refusal, the U.S. deployed up to 200 military advisers to Saudi Arabia to provide intelligence and geospatial targeting support through a new joint forces command. This decision follows a strategic Houthi offensive that seized the port city of Mocha, Mayyun Island, and the Hanish islands, granting the group significant leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Hostilities intensified in September 2026, with Houthis launching ballistic missiles and drones at the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait and targeting Saudi energy infrastructure. A drone attack, attributed by President Donald Trump to Iran, disabled the critical East-West oil pipeline, forcing its closure and driving Brent crude prices above $108 per barrel. Saudi Arabia has since sought air-defense support from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt as its missile interceptor stocks dwindle.

Diplomatic efforts have run parallel to the fighting. U.S. officials met with Houthi representatives in Muscat, Oman, where the group pledged to honor a 2025 ceasefire with the U.S. and spare American and Israeli vessels, while explicitly excluding Saudi ships from this guarantee. President Trump stated the Houthis contacted his administration to request that the U.S. remain uninvolved, suggesting a potential resolution to the broader regional conflict after the November elections.