Saudi asks Israel for help as ally Pak abandons

Saudi Arabia has contacted Israel for intelligence support to combat Houthi aggression, despite not formally recognizing Israel or maintaining diplomatic ties, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The communication occurs as Houthi forces intensify assaults on Saudi targets and enforce maritime restrictions, causing economic challenges in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab regions.

Pakistan, though a part of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, has not committed to direct military action against the Houthis.

The Israel-Saudi dialogues, facilitated by CENTCOM, mainly aim to help Riyadh monitor Houthi deployments and evaluate possible operations. This indirect interaction is unusual, as Saudi Arabia does not acknowledge Israel's existence and there are no official diplomatic relations between the two nations. The discussions arise amid Houthi expansion along Yemen's Red Sea coast and threats to shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group's maritime actions are seen as a blockade affecting Saudi trade and energy routes.

Israeli intelligence and operational expertise, previously utilized by the US to gather intelligence on Iranian forces, may be leveraged in the Saudi-Israeli security talks. The reports also highlight that Saudi Arabia has reached out to other allies for aid, including Britain, which agreed to deploy military advisers to assist in the fight against the Houthis.

However, Pakistan has ruled out sending its military forces to Yemen to combat the Houthis, citing a distinction between territorial defense and foreign combat operations.