US Again Pressures Saudis to Accept Israel

President Donald Trump recently suggested that Saudi Arabia should embrace Israel's offer to combat Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthis), expressing confidence that Riyadh would agree. During a White House press conference on October 16, Trump stated, "Yeah, I do, sure. Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia," and added that he believes the Saudis "will" accept the assistance.

Trump also indicated that Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, a series of 2020 pacts normalizing relations between Arab nations and Israel, is a possibility that may even surpass its initial success. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia "is very happy" to receive support from both Israel and the United States. The Abraham Accords were signed by several Arab states, though Saudi Arabia maintains no diplomatic ties with Israel and has long insisted on the establishment of a Palestinian state for normalization.

Reports from Israeli media, however, indicate that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rejected Israel's help against the Houthis on October 12, citing potential backlash from the Saudi public. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a recent interview, noted that "there are barely any Middle Eastern states that aren't asking us for help."

On October 10, a devastating attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and injured over 300, marking the deadliest assault on the kingdom in over a decade. A second strike on October 11 reportedly caused further casualties. The airport remained closed until October 17, disrupting flights from various European and Asian countries.

Analysts have already suggested that the Houthis' pressure could compel Riyadh to align more closely with Israel.