Key facts
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought President Donald Trump's assistance to fight Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
- Trump held at least two phone conversations with bin Salman on Thursday.
- Washington will provide intelligence sharing and targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia, but not direct military action.
- Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia for talks on Thursday.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested direct U.S. military assistance from President Donald Trump to combat Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, as the group intensified threats to the Red Sea. Washington informed Riyadh that it would not take direct military action for now but would provide intelligence sharing and targeting assistance, according to sources familiar with the matter. Trump held at least two phone conversations with the Saudi leader on Thursday. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, also traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for talks. The White House did not address a Reuters question on any phone calls between the two leaders, but a senior administration official stated Washington is in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government, focusing on protecting national security interests like freedom of navigation in the Red Sea while empowering regional partners. The conflict between the U.S. and Iran has entered its seventh month, impacting global oil prices and U.S. gasoline prices. Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could provide Iran a critical advantage in its war with the U.S. Saudi Arabia has relied on the Red Sea route since the Iran conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in July, the Houthis claimed to have confronted Saudi warplanes attempting to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing in Sanaa. At that time, Saudi Arabia had urged the U.S. to increase economic pressure on Iran.