Trump urges Saudi Arabia to accept Israeli help against Houthis

Summary

US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia should accept Israel’s offer of help against Yemen’s Houthis, saying Israel had been helpful to the kingdom. The Times of Israel also reported that Trump said normalization between Jerusalem and Riyadh could be back on the table, while Middle East Eye reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opposed the proposed assistance, fearing public backlash.

Timeline

1. Middle East Eye

   16 Oct 2026, 19:09 UTCSource ↗

   Middle East Eye reports that Trump urged Saudi Arabia to accept Israel’s help against the Houthis and that a diplomatic source said Netanyahu had offered assistance through US mediation, while the Saudi crown prince opposed the move over fears of public backlash.

2. The Times of Israel

   16 Oct 2026, 20:35 UTCSource ↗

   The Times of Israel reports that Trump called Israel helpful to Saudi Arabia and said normalization between Jerusalem and Riyadh could be back on the table, perhaps more than ever.