Saudi Arabia is urging President Donald Trump to take military action against Iran-backed Houthi rebels after their rapid advance toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait raised new fears over global shipping and oil supplies.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly contacted Trump twice and pressed the United States to launch strikes against the Houthis, according to U.S. officials cited in recent reports. Trump declined to directly intervene, instead offering intelligence and targeting support to Riyadh.
The request marks a major shift as Saudi Arabia faces growing pressure from a Houthi offensive that has threatened one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
Houthis seize key ground near Red Sea
The Iran-backed Houthis have made significant gains along Yemen’s western coast, including the capture of the strategic port city of Mocha and positions around the Bab el-Mandeb area.
The rebels have also seized Perim, a strategically located island in the narrow waterway connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea. The gains give the Houthis greater leverage over a shipping corridor vital to global trade.
The Bab el-Mandeb is particularly important because it provides a maritime route between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, with commercial vessels ultimately able to reach the Suez Canal.
The latest Houthi advance comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is already severely disrupted by the broader U.S.-Iran conflict.
That has created an increasingly dangerous situation for Saudi Arabia and global energy markets.
Saudi Arabia wants US military power
The Saudi request represents a notable change in Riyadh’s approach.
Saudi officials had previously indicated that the kingdom could manage the Houthi threat without direct American military involvement. But the rebels’ latest territorial gains and attacks on Saudi targets have increased the pressure on Riyadh to seek outside assistance.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly made two calls to Trump asking for U.S. strikes against the Houthis.
Washington has declined to launch direct attacks for now.
Instead, the Trump administration has offered intelligence and targeting assistance while encouraging regional partners to take the lead. Reuters reported that the United States remains focused on protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea without opening another major military front.
Iran’s influence raises the stakes
The Houthis are backed by Iran, adding another layer to the confrontation.
Recent reporting indicates Tehran has increased its support for the group as fighting has intensified, while Iran has denied directing Houthi military operations.
The concern in Washington and Riyadh is that expanded Houthi control of the Red Sea approaches could give Iran and its allies influence over two critical maritime routes.
Iran already has influence over the Strait of Hormuz, while Houthi control around Bab el-Mandeb could threaten shipping on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula.
That scenario could put enormous pressure on global energy markets.
Oil prices surge as shipping fears grow
The Houthi advance has already affected oil markets.
Brent crude climbed above $100 per barrel as concerns mounted over the security of the Red Sea and the possibility of further disruptions to global energy supplies.
The stakes are particularly high for Saudi Arabia because the Red Sea provides an alternative route for moving oil when the Strait of Hormuz is unavailable.
Any prolonged disruption could therefore create additional pressure on fuel prices, shipping costs and supply chains around the world.
For consumers, the conflict could eventually translate into higher costs for gasoline and transported goods.
Trump faces a difficult military decision
Trump’s refusal to immediately launch strikes leaves the administration facing a difficult strategic calculation.
Direct U.S. military action could help Saudi Arabia push back against the Houthis and protect the Bab el-Mandeb.
But it could also expand an already volatile Middle East conflict and pull American forces into another battlefield.
The administration has instead signaled that regional allies should play a larger role while the United States provides intelligence and other support.
That approach could change if Houthi forces further threaten American interests, Saudi Arabia or commercial shipping.
A second global shipping chokepoint at risk
The latest crisis has broader implications because it threatens to place two major maritime chokepoints under pressure at the same time.
The Strait of Hormuz is already severely constrained by the U.S.-Iran conflict. The Bab el-Mandeb now faces a growing Houthi threat.
Analysts warn that simultaneous disruption of both routes could have consequences far beyond Yemen and Saudi Arabia, affecting global oil prices, freight costs and international trade.
For Trump, the decision over whether to use American military power against the Houthis could therefore become one of the administration’s most consequential Middle East choices.
For now, Saudi Arabia is asking Washington to act, while Trump is resisting direct military involvement.
But with the Houthis continuing to gain ground near a vital shipping route, the pressure on the White House is only growing.
