Saudi Arabia Turns to Israel for Houthi Intelligence — SkimNews
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- Saudi Arabia has turned to Israel for intelligence assistance against Houthi militants via US Central Command-mediated talks, per The Jerusalem Post, despite Riyadh not recognizing Israel as an independent nation.
- Pakistan, a key member of the Saudi-led Mecca Defence Alliance, reportedly refused to deploy forces to fight Houthis in Yemen, drawing a red line against combat operations on foreign soil.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also appealed for assistance against the Houthi offensive from other Gulf states and Egypt, according to Israel Hayom.
- The US and UK have ruled out direct strikes on Houthi targets, offering only intelligence assistance and military advisors respectively.
- The Houthi offensive swept away the Saudi-backed National Resistance Front, giving the militia control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; Houthis announced their Saudi shipping blockade would continue while allowing US vessels to transit freely.
- Israeli Defence Forces officials recommended any Israeli action against Houthis be undertaken as part of a "broad international and regional coalition," per Haaretz.
Why it matters: Saudi Arabia's quiet outreach to a country it does not recognize — mediated by US Central Command — underscores how isolated Riyadh has become as Houthi control of the Gate of Tears, its alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, threatens to halt Saudi oil exports. The Houthis' decision to continue blockading Saudi shipping while sparing US vessels suggests Riyadh is being singled out, not the West.
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