Trump declines Saudi crown prince’s call for US strikes on Houthis

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called US president Donald Trump twice on Thursday and urged him to launch strikes against the Houthis, Axios reported, citing two US officials.

Trump rejected the request, and US officials said the administration does not intend to take direct military action against the Houthis at this time, the report said.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House and Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.

According to Axios, the US is increasingly concerned about the rapidly escalating conflict in Yemen and is stepping up support for Saudi Arabia while seeking to avoid direct military involvement.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US Central Command, travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent coordination talks, according to the report.

“US military and civilian officials have also told their 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 the opening of another military front,” Axios added.

Reuters reported earlier in July that Saudi Arabia is seeking to build an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, as tensions in and around Yemen continue to escalate.

The escalation dates back to early July, when the Houthis said their forces confronted Saudi “warplanes” that were attempting to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport.