Israel is said to already be providing Saudi Arabia with intelligence assistance amid the escalation with Yemen’s Houthis, diplomatic sources in the region said Tuesday. According to the sources, the assistance is being transferred to Riyadh through the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) and does not involve operational support or direct Israeli participation in the fighting.
The sources said the issue also came up in talks held in Saudi Arabia in recent days by CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. On Monday, Cooper met in Jeddah with Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, and the two discussed security developments in the region against the backdrop of the sharp escalation with the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Houthis in Yemen, Mohammad Bin Salman
(Photos: AP, Yariv Katz, AFP)
The Israeli assistance comes as Washington seeks to help Riyadh without becoming drawn into another military front itself. Last week, it was reported that bin Salman appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump and asked him to order American strikes against the Houthis following their gains on the ground and the growing threat to the kingdom. Trump rejected the request, but U.S. officials made clear that Washington would provide Saudi Arabia with intelligence on the Houthis and assistance in identifying targets.
Prim Island, also known as Mayoun, in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, reportedly taken over by the Houthis in Yemen
The development comes at the height of the renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. On Tuesday, the threat range expanded for the first time in the current round to include the Mecca area, home to Islam’s holiest city, while alerts were also activated in Jeddah and Taif. During the night and morning, emergency alerts also were sent in Abha, Jazan, AlUla and Yanbu, the important Red Sea port city through which Saudi Arabia exports large quantities of oil.
The Saudi-led coalition said 13 civilians were lightly to moderately wounded in the latest Houthi attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, while homes and vehicles were damaged. The Houthis, for their part, accuse Riyadh of responsibility for the escalation and in recent days have stepped up missile and drone fire at cities, military bases and energy facilities in the kingdom.
Houthis enter Al-Mukha chanting 'Death to America, Death to Israel'
At the same time, the Houthis also have made dramatic gains inside Yemen. Their forces advanced along the Red Sea coast, captured the port city of Mokha and the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, significantly increasing their ability to threaten one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Concern in Riyadh has grown particularly against the backdrop of Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, which has made the Red Sea route even more critical for Saudi oil exports.
The current confrontation marks a turning point after several years in which Saudi Arabia sought to avoid a return to full-scale war in Yemen. The truce between the sides, which took effect in 2022, largely held even during Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel, but has eroded rapidly in recent months. Riyadh is now confronting attacks on its territory, threats to its energy infrastructure and Houthi advances inside Yemen all at once.