Trump rejects Saudi request for strikes on Houthis – Report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly offered to participate in strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen, as stated by US sources cited by Lebanese newspaper Al Akbar. The Israeli leader suggested joining a broader regional effort aimed at protecting shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

This development comes as Houthi forces have advanced in western Yemen, reaching the strategic island of Perim in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, potentially threatening one of the world's most crucial shipping passages. An Israeli official expressed concern over the possibility of Houthi control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait becoming more dangerous than the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, citing the ability of the group to fire on ships with anti-tank missiles and their increased visibility.

Israeli officials are closely monitoring the situation as the Houthis have recently captured the Yemeni port city of Mocha near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.