Trump Declines Saudi Crown Prince's Urgent Request for US Strikes on Houthis, Sends CENTCOM Commander and Intelligence Instead

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called US President Donald Trump twice on September 10 urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis, but Trump rejected the request, with US officials saying the administration does not intend to take direct military action against the Houthis at this time, Axios reported citing two US officials, with coverage also from Reuters, Jerusalem Post, and Free Malaysia Today. The calls came after the Houthis seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha, bringing the Iranian-backed group closer to controlling the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The US is stepping up support for Saudi Arabia while seeking to avoid direct military involvement. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia on September 10 for urgent coordination meetings, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. The Trump administration will provide Saudi Arabia with US intelligence on the Houthis and targeting data, and roughly 200 US military personnel are already in the country providing non-kinetic support. US military and civilian officials have told Saudi counterparts in recent weeks that Trump's directive is to keep American forces focused on Iran and safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz while avoiding opening another military front.

The Saudi request marks a sharp reversal from July, when Riyadh told Washington it could handle the Houthis on its own after striking Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. As the fighting intensified with Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers and energy facilities, the Saudis began seeking increasing levels of US support. With Iran already disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi control of Bab al-Mandeb could give Tehran powerful new leverage over the US and its Gulf allies, threatening two critical maritime chokepoints simultaneously.

Sources

Sources: Axios, Reuters, Jerusalem Post, Free Malaysia Today, Business Recorder, Haaretz, Yahoo News. White House and Saudi embassy declined comment to Axios. CENTCOM travel confirmed by two sources.