Ditched by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia now turns to Israel for help in fighting Houthis: Report

Saudi Arabia has reportedly sought intelligence assistance from Israel amid an intensifying Houthi offensive along the border with Yemen, with the outreach taking place indirectly through US Central Command, according to Israeli media reports.

The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that Israel and Saudi Arabia held talks mediated by US Central Command on ways to help Riyadh defend itself against the Houthi military, including through intelligence support.

Separately, Israel Hayom reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as the



country's prime minister, had sought assistance from other Gulf states and Egypt in responding to the Houthi offensive.

According to the report, Riyadh indirectly approached Israel through US Central Command for intelligence on threats to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Any reported outreach to Israel therefore marks a significant development and underscores the security challenges Riyadh is facing as the conflict in Yemen escalates.