Trump declines Saudi crown prince's call for US strikes on Houthis - report

On Thursday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman phoned US President Trump twice, imploring him to authorize military strikes against the Houthis, according to Axios, citing two US officials. However, President Trump declined the request and the administration has no immediate plans for direct military action against the Houthis, the report detailed.

The US remains supportive of Saudi Arabia in their ongoing conflict in Yemen, but is maintaining a distance from direct military involvement. US Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday for coordination talks with local officials, according to Axios.

In addition to offering intelligence and data targeting capabilities, the Trump administration will send approximately 200 US military personnel to Saudi Arabia for non-kinetic support, according to Axios. The administration's primary objective is to maintain the openness of the Red Sea while allowing regional partners to take charge of managing and resolving Middle Eastern security issues, as stated by a senior Trump administration official.

The Houthis recently attacked the city of Mocha on the Red Sea, potentially pushing the Iranian-backed group closer to closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, similar to Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz.