In the context of the escalating conflict in West Asia, particularly the US-Israeli tensions concerning Iran, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly urged the United States to conduct military strikes against the Yemeni militant group, the Houthis. This call for action highlights the Crown Prince’s concern over the ongoing instability in the region and the role of the Houthis in exacerbating the situation.
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis reignited in July 2026 after Riyadh prevented an Iranian plane carrying a senior Houthi official from landing in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a.
Saudi Arabia’s MBS called US President Donald Trump twice and urged him to launch a strike against the Houthis amid their blockade of the vital Red Sea chokepoint, according to a report by Axios . This request from Saudi Arabia comes as the kingdom sees an escalation in its conflict with the Iran-backed proxy in Yemen. the US president declined to launch strikes against the group While Trump flagged his concerns regarding the escalating conflict in Yemen. Two US officials stressed that the Trump administration has no plans to intervene directly against the Houthis for now, the report further added. People familiar with the matter also stated that Commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, visited Riyadh for “urgent coordination meetings. No official comment has been made from the White House or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In response to this, the Houthis began attacking Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening the kingdom’s route for oil exports in view of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The 2026 flare-up marks the first such grave escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since their 2022 ceasefire, brokered by the United Nations, collapsed. The Houthis have also struck Saudi Arabia and targeted the oil giant Aramco in their recent strikes.
Since then, Saudi Arabia, along with its allies in Yemen, has responded with airstrikes and ground operations against the Houthis.
