A U.S. Admiral Was Dispatched To Saudi Arabia On An Urgent Mission

The Kingdom asked Trump to launch a strike against the Houthis amid their offensive.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), traveled to Saudi Arabia for urgent coordination meetings in response to the Houthis' successful offensive in the Red Sea region, according to Axios reports, citing two sources.

According to the publication, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called U.S. President Donald Trump twice this week, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis, as the group is advancing toward key strategic locations along the Red Sea coast. Trump, according to the agency’s sources, refused, as he does not yet plan to intervene directly in the Houthi conflict.

Oil prices rose sharply after the Houthis seized the strategic coastal city of Mocha in Yemen, bringing them closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports. Houthi control of the strait could give Tehran new leverage over the U.S. and its allies, the publication notes.

Riyadh’s request for U.S. intervention signals a shift in the situation, as as recently as July, the kingdom’s authorities had said they could handle the situation on their own, the publication notes. Later, they began turning to Washington for support more frequently. At the same time, U.S. officials have told their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks that Trump’s strategy is to keep forces concentrated in the Strait of Hormuz and avoid opening a second front.

Despite Trump’s refusal, the U.S. administration will provide Saudi Arabia with intelligence on the Houthis and data to guide strikes, the sources said. About 200 U.S. military personnel are already in Saudi Arabia, providing support to allies without participating in combat operations, they added.

A senior Trump administration official told Axios that Washington’s priority is to keep the Red Sea open, leaving the fighting to regional partners. “We are in constant dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Yemen on issues of regional stability,” he said.

Recently, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi ships, airports, and oil facilities. For example, in late July, the Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Jeddah, with a capacity of 400,000 barrels per day, suspended operations following attacks. In early August, a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan came under drone attack. A fire broke out at the facility but was successfully extinguished.

On September 8, Saudi authorities announced the suspension of operations at several energy facilities following new attacks. At the same time, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the Houthi attacks on facilities in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran. According to the authorities, 73 civilians, including women and children, were injured as a result.

Citing sources, The New York Times reported in late August that Saudi Arabia had begun preparations to resume fighting against the group. According to the newspaper, this could open a new front in the war with Iran—an ally of the Houthis.

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