WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has rejected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s request for immediate military action against the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen, according to a report by Axios.
The report said Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Trump twice by phone on Thursday over the growing threat posed by the Houthis in the Red Sea and urged the US president to launch strikes against the group. Trump, however, declined to take military action against the Houthis.
According to Axios, US military and civilian officials have been in contact with their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks over the escalating threat.
US Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper also travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for emergency coordination meetings.
The report said the White House and the Saudi Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the reported phone calls.
The latest development comes amid heightened tensions involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, the Houthis have seized a strategically important coastal city in Yemen and advanced closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint for global trade and Saudi oil exports.
The situation has raised concerns over the security of shipping in the Red Sea as Washington seeking to keep the vital maritime route open while remaining cautious about direct US involvement in the broader conflict.
