Israel seeks Saudi nod to join Yemen campaign against Houthis, but MBS objects

Israel has approached Saudi Arabia through US mediation, seeking permission to join the campaign against Yemen's Houthis, according to a Haaretz report. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes military cooperation could strengthen ties and advance normalisation, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly wary of the domestic backlash such a move could trigger.

In Short

• Israel's Netanyahu seeks Saudi approval to join the war against Yemen's Houthis
• Saudi PM MBS fears public backlash over direct military cooperation with Israel
• Israel hopes a joint campaign could lead to normalisation of ties with Riyadh

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking Saudi Arabia's approval for Jerusalem to join the military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen who have stepped up strikes against the Kingdom in recent days. This comes even as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) remain embroiled in military operations in Gaza, West Bank and other places, while the proposal has itself met with recalcitrance in Riyadh.

According to a report in the Tel Aviv-based newspaper, Haaretz, citing an unnamed diplomatic source, Netanyahu wanted Israeli forces to participate in strikes targeting the Ansar Allah on the side of the Saudis.

The proposal, which is reportedly being pursued through US mediation, is aimed at improving ties with Saudi Arabia, which is yet to recognise Israel as an independent nation.

The Tel Aviv-based daily, The Jerusalem Post, had previously reported that Israel and Saudi Arabia held talks mediated by the US Central Command (Centcom) aimed at helping Riyadh defend itself against the Houthi military through intelligence assistance.

However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as the kingdom's prime minister, has been reluctant to permit further Israeli military involvement, fearing that cooperation with Israel could trigger a negative reaction among Saudi citizens.

A second source familiar with the matter told Haaretz that Netanyahu's efforts were not just limited to joining the immediate military campaign against the Houthis. Israel hopes that cooperation against a common adversary could strengthen bilateral ties and eventually help secure a diplomatic breakthrough with Riyadh. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the report, according to Anadolu Agency.

PROPOSAL COMES AS SAUDI-HOUTHI CONFLICT INTENSIFIES

The reported diplomatic outreach by the Israelis to the Saudis comes amid a renewed escalation in the conflict between the Ansar Allah, Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognised government.

Back in September, the Houthis seized much of Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the port city of Mokha in a surprise blitzkrieg, enabling the militia to seize control of the critical Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

Since then, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces backed up a sustained campaign of airstrikes, have pushed back the Houthis from some of their gains, including recapturing Mokha.

The Houthis, however, continue to fight on across Yemen. More importantly, they have also attacked Saudi territory with drones and missiles targeting civilian and oil-producing infrastructure across the Kingdom.

The latest of those strikes came with the attack on King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh, which killed at least 13, including an Indian national and wounded more than 300 on Saturday. A repeat strike killed one more individual, and wounded a further 11 on Sunday.

Netanyahu publicly condemned Saturday's attack, offering condolences to Saudi Arabia and expressing sympathy for the victims. In a statement posted on X, he described the incident as a "horrific terrorist attack" and extended Israel's condolences to the families of those killed, while wishing those injured a full recovery.

PROPOSAL TO JOIN CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOUTHIS PART OF BROADER EFFORT TO NORMALISE TIES

The Israeli proposal to join the military campaign against the Houthis is part of a longstanding ambition of Jerusalem to establish formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly promoted the prospect of Saudi-Israeli normalisation under the framework of the Abraham Accords, which facilitated diplomatic agreements between Israel and several Arab countries during his first administration.

According to the report by Haaretz, the prospect of an agreement with Riyadh that would have led to normalisation of ties and Saudi recognition of Israel had appeared to come close to fruition. However, the October 7 attack by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza derailed those efforts.

Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that normalisation with Israel depends on substantial progress towards establishing an independent Palestinian state. That position remains a major obstacle, given Netanyahu's opposition to Palestinian statehood.

The renewed Houthi attacks could therefore present both a security challenge and a diplomatic opening for Netanyahu. Israeli participation in a campaign against the rebels could potentially create a channel for closer coordination with Riyadh, but will need to overcome Mohammed bin Salman's reported objections to the same.

For Saudi Arabia, openly accepting Israeli military assistance could prove particularly sensitive amid widespread regional anger over Israel’s actions in Gaza and the unresolved Palestinian question. While Washington has continued to encourage normalisation, the latest report suggests that shared security concerns alone may not be enough to overcome the political and diplomatic barriers separating Israel and Saudi Arabia.

- Ends
(Written by Shounak Sanyal)