SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump has rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to launch direct US strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, Axios reported, citing two US officials.
According to the report, Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Trump twice on Thursday and urged the US president to take military action against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Trump declined the request, while US officials said the administration does not currently intend to carry out direct military strikes against the group.
CNN reported on Thursday that about 100 US military advisers were in Saudi Arabia, providing intelligence and advice on Houthi targets. The advisers were not directly participating in US strikes, according to the report.
The developments came as the Houthis launched a major ground offensive along Yemen’s southwestern coast, capturing large areas from forces loyal to the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
The Houthis captured Mocha on Thursday and were also reported to have taken control of Perim, also known as Mayyun, a strategically located island in the Bab el-Mandab Strait. The island lies near the strait’s narrowest point, giving its holder a potentially significant position from which to influence maritime traffic through the key waterway.
Houthi forces also advanced towards the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea, with reports saying at least one island in the archipelago had been captured.
A military official said the Houthis launched missile attacks on Zuqar Island, part of the Hanish archipelago, and dispatched boats carrying fighters towards the island.
