Trump declines Saudi crown prince's call for US strikes on Houthis, Axios reports

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia contacted US President Donald Trump twice on Thursday, urging him to launch military strikes against the Houthi rebels, according to Axios. However, Trump declined the request, and US officials confirmed the administration has no plans for direct military action against the Houthis at present, the report stated.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the claim. The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington did not comment on the matter outside of regular business hours.

According to Axios, the United States is growing increasingly concerned about the rapidly escalating conflict in Yemen, leading to heightened support for Saudi Arabia while aiming to avoid direct military involvement. On Thursday, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia for urgent coordination talks, as reported by Axios.

US military and civilian officials have also informed their Saudi counterparts that Trump's directive is to keep American forces focused on Iran and safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz, while steering clear of opening another military front, as mentioned by Axios.

Reuters had previously reported in July that Saudi Arabia was attempting to form an international coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, as tensions in and around Yemen continued to intensify. The escalation began in early July when the Houthis accused Saudi "warplanes" of interfering with an Iranian civilian aircraft attempting to land at Sanaa International Airport.