MBS Urged Trump to Strike Houthis, Trump Declined — SkimNews
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- Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump twice on Thursday, urging him to launch strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis as the group closed in on a vital Red Sea chokepoint, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to Axios.
- Trump declined the Saudi crown prince's request, and U.S. officials stressed the administration has no plans — text truncated in the source — to escalate against the Houthis.
Why it matters: MBS twice lobbied Trump for strikes as Iran-backed Houthis closed in on a Red Sea chokepoint central to global oil shipments, but Trump held off — exposing a gap between Saudi appetite for escalation and U.S. restraint on a critical maritime corridor.
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