Trump Declines Saudi Plea for Direct Strikes as Houthis Tighten Grip on Red Sea

US President Donald Trump has declined repeated requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for American strikes against Houthi militants threatening Saudi oil infrastructure in the Red Sea, opting instead to extend intelligence and non-kinetic support to Riyadh.

The Saudi Crown Prince made two calls to Trump on Thursday, briefing him on the deteriorating security situation and urging direct US military action against the Iran-backed group. Trump stood firm on his position, assuring Riyadh of intelligence inputs to help target Houthi facilities. Around 200 US military personnel are currently stationed in the Kingdom in a support role.

The Houthis launched a large-scale offensive last week against Saudi-backed government forces near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint vital to global trade and Saudi oil exports. On Friday, the militants completed their takeover of the strait area by seizing a key Red Sea island at its centre.

Washington's reluctance to engage directly stems from a desire to avoid opening a second front amid its ongoing standoff with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. A senior US official said the administration's priority is to keep the Red Sea open while letting regional partners take the lead in resolving their broader security challenges.

"The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests — such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea — while empowering our regional partners to take the lead in managing and resolving regional security challenges," the official said, adding that Washington remains in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Yemen's recognised government.

General Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent coordination meetings. Houthi control over Bab al-Mandab could provide Tehran with additional leverage over the US and its Gulf allies.