Israel will help Saudi Arabia stop the Houthis

Israel and Saudi Arabia have held secret talks to counter the Houthi military threat, with the US Central Command (Centcom) mediating the talks, Walla and the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday, citing Middle East diplomatic sources.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia in the past week. Drone strikes on oil pipelines and pumping stations have partially disrupted a major pipeline. The Houthis have also targeted a mosque and civilians in nearby buildings near the Yemeni-Saudi border. 

They have also seized several strategically important islands in the Red Sea and blocked Saudi shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in what sources describe as an "economic and diplomatic blockade" of Saudi Arabia.

This security situation has also worried Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region. Security sources say that there is a particular concern. That is, if the United States reaches an agreement with Iran and the Houthis, then Saudi Arabia and other countries will face threats alone.

Diplomatic sources said the talks were brokered by CENTCOM to help secure Saudi Arabia. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have already demonstrated military and intelligence capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz. They have helped the Americans gather information about the location of Iranian forces. The sources said the Saudi request for assistance was primarily about intelligence. This information is needed to get a clear picture of the Houthis' military position and identify future plans for operations.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia has also asked Britain for help. Riyadh has asked for help in removing the Houthis from the Bab al-Mandab Strait and protecting oil infrastructure. British Prime Minister Burnham has agreed to send military advisers, but has not yet promised any additional assistance.

Another crisis has arisen. US President Trump's decision to allow Saudi Arabia to develop a civilian nuclear program has raised deep concerns in Israeli security circles. Saudi Arabia is rich in energy resources and is located just 15 kilometers from Israel.

When the issue was raised with Trump, he immediately linked it to the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations. Saudi Arabia wants to advance diplomatic relations with Israel only after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. Although relations are not normalized, the two countries have some common security interests. A diplomatic roadmap is expected to be drawn up soon, keeping in mind the growing threats in the Middle East.