Skip to main content
Get our mobile app
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Normalization talk returns

Trump: Israel Aided Saudis Against Houthis

The US president said Riyadh should accept Israel's help against the Houthis, as the group's attacks on the kingdom intensify.

2 min read
Donald Trump
Follow us on

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that Israel "has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia" in its fight against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. He added that Saudi Arabia could join the Abraham Accords, "maybe more than ever."

Reporters asked Trump whether Riyadh should take up Israel's offer of help against the Houthis. "Yeah, I do. I think they will," he answered. He gave no details of what Israel had provided.

Trump was equally upbeat on normalization. "Saudi Arabia is very happy to have Israel's support and our support," he said. In a version of the exchange carried by The Jerusalem Post, he went further: "The Abraham Accords are one of our greatest achievements, and yes, I would say perhaps now more than ever."

The city of Aden, Yemen
The city of Aden, Yemen (Shutterstock)

Israel has not taken direct military action against the Houthis since the current escalation began.

Trump's remarks followed a surge in Houthi attacks on the kingdom. The strikes hit energy infrastructure and Riyadh's international airport and disrupted flights. Accounts of the casualties at King Khalid International Airport vary. A single missile strike on the airport last Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300. The Jerusalem Post put the death toll at 17, with over 300 injured. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said on Thursday that the Houthis had launched 20 attacks on the airport this month, killing 17 people and wounding 333.

On Thursday, the Houthis also fired missiles at the Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden, the seat of Yemen's Saudi-backed government. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said five missiles struck the compound and that the prime minister and cabinet members were unharmed. The Houthis claimed they had targeted a Saudi-run military operations headquarters and weapons depots inside the complex.
Ready for more?

Join our newsletter to receive updates on new articles and exclusive content.

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.

Enjoyed this article?

Yes
No
Follow Us:

Unmissable content

Loading comments...

Also of Interest