Did Saudi Arabia turn to Israel after getting no response from allies?

Saudi Arabia is rushing from ally to ally seeking military support to counter Houthi attacks. As its missile defense interceptors run out, Riyadh has asked regional and Western allies for air defense assistance. However, so far no country has said it will respond to the request for military support.

Turkey, however, is conducting diplomatic talks with Iran and the United Arab Emirates to reduce tensions. The United States has also said it stands by Saudi Arabia, but at the same time it has held direct meetings with the Houthis. In this situation, Saudi Arabia has ultimately turned to Israel. A regional diplomat said talks are underway between the two countries, mediated by the United States, over possible Israeli intelligence support.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump for military support last Thursday. He made the request for support in the fight against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. Three sources familiar with the matter reported the information on Friday.
Reuters photo.
The sources said Trump spoke with the Saudi leader by phone at least twice on Thursday. However, he did not agree to carry out U.S. strikes on the Houthis. They also said Washington told Riyadh it would help with intelligence sharing and target identification.

Two Saudi officials told the Associated Press that Riyadh has asked France, Pakistan, Egypt, and the United Kingdom to deploy air defense support to protect the country from Houthi attacks. One official said the United States, Saudi Arabia's main ally and arms supplier, has itself seen its stock of missile defense missiles decrease during the ongoing war with Iran.

Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, told Al Jazeera that the United States is "closely monitoring" the situation between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. He also commented that the U.S. military has a long-standing "military relationship" with Saudi partners and that this is still evident today.

British Prime Minister's spokesman Tom Wells confirmed on Tuesday that the United Kingdom has a "close defense partnership" with Saudi Arabia. However, he refused to comment on whether Saudi Arabia had requested military support. He also did not say whether British troops are in the country.
Reuters photo.
Earlier, U.S. and NATO officials acknowledged a serious shortage of missile defense missiles in Europe. This has raised questions about how capable Europe is of assisting Saudi Arabia.

U.S. Meeting with the Houthis

Meanwhile, three sources told Reuters that U.S. officials held a direct meeting with Houthi representatives in Oman late last week. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said the meeting was held at the U.S. embassy in Muscat with the cooperation of the Omani government.

Reuters sources said that during the meeting, the Houthis told U.S. officials that they have no intention of attacking U.S. vessels and that they are committed to the ceasefire agreement reached with the United States in 2025.
Neil Hop, the top U.S. diplomat for Yemen, has told Yemen's Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zuba that the United States' "strong support" for the internationally recognized Yemeni government continues. The U.S. embassy in Yemen provided this information.

Turkey's Diplomatic Efforts, Pakistan's Message of Standing Beside

Although they promised support, Turkey and Pakistan, which are part of the Mecca Agreement with Saudi Arabia, have so far not taken any effective steps.

A Turkish government official said Turkey is holding talks with Iran and the United Arab Emirates as part of efforts to reduce tensions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. However, he did not provide any further details.

This is the first test of the new defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, NATO member Turkey, and nuclear-armed Pakistan. However, officials from Turkey and Pakistan told AP that Saudi Arabia has not made any request for support following the recent increase in tensions with the Houthis.
Houthi Rebels. Reuters.
Condemning the attempted attack on Mecca, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said his country and Saudi Arabia stand "firmly, shoulder to shoulder" together. Turkey's foreign minister also expressed solidarity, saying no country can "remain indifferent," according to state news agency Anadolu Agency.

Riyadh Turns to Israel

A regional diplomat told Israel's i24News that Israel and Saudi Arabia are holding direct talks mediated by the U.S. Central Command over possible Israeli intelligence support for Riyadh against the Houthis. The diplomat said the purpose of these talks is to strengthen Saudi Arabia's ability to counter the growing Houthi threat. As part of possible support, Israel could provide intelligence on Houthi military positions, weapons infrastructure, and operational plans.

The information became public shortly after CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper visited Saudi Arabia and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior officials. A source familiar with the discussions told i24News that "the talks went well." However, the source did not provide further information.

Houthi Attacks Increasing

Over the past week, the Houthis have significantly increased attacks against Saudi Arabia. The group is reported to have carried out drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil transport pipelines and pumping facilities. This partially disrupted oil transport through an important pipeline. In addition, Saudi Arabia claimed that the Houthis attacked Mecca, Islam's holiest city. However, the Houthis acknowledged this and said, "Saudi Arabia is using the holy places for political interests. They are inciting Muslims against Yemen."

There are also allegations that Houthi forces attacked Saudi civilians at a mosque and nearby buildings near the Yemen border.

At the same time, the group has strategically captured several islands in the Red Sea and has obstructed Saudi vessels from passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is considered an important shipping route for international trade and energy transport.

Source: Al Jazeera, Reuters, Times of Israel, i24News