Trump Backed MBS After Saudi Crown Prince Sought US Support For Houthi Strikes: Report
Trump Backed MBS After Saudi Crown Prince Sought US Support For Houthi Strikes: Report Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 06:42 IST The Saudi
Trump Backed MBS After Saudi Crown Prince Sought US Support For Houthi Strikes: Report Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 06:42 IST The Saudi move and the Houthis’ retaliation marked the most serious escalation between the two sides since 2022. Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump. (AFP file photo) US President Donald Trump backed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s request for support before Riyadh launched military strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen, according to an Axios report citing two US officials. The report said MBS informed Trump ahead of the operation and sought US backing for the action, which came after growing Saudi concerns over Houthi activities and a disputed Iranian flight to Yemen. The latest exchange threatens to disrupt a fragile truce that has largely held since 2022, despite having officially expire.
Strike On Sanaa Airport Triggers Response The latest tensions began after an aircraft reportedly operated by Iran’s Mahan Air landed in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, carrying a delegation of Houthi officials travelling to Iran for the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Saudi Arabia opposed the flight, reportedly fearing it could be used to transfer weapons, missile components or Iranian military personnel to the Houthis. The US officials cited by Axios called Mahan Air as an airline linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). After the aircraft later attempted to return, Saudi forces struck Sanaa airport, forcing the plane to divert and land in Al Hudaydah on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The Riyadh-backed Yemeni government said the strike was aimed at preventing an Iranian aircraft from using Yemeni territory. Houthis Target Saudi Airport Following the Sanaa airport strike, Yemen’s Houthis launched missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport in the kingdom’s southwest.
The group said the operation was in retaliation for what it called Saudi aggression. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree also warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace, saying the warning would remain in place until restrictions on Sanaa airport were lifted. The escalation comes amid wider regional tensions, with the US and Iran engaged in renewed confrontation. Saudi Arabia formed a military coalition in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognised government against the Houthis. The conflict has killed thousands of people and pushed Yemen into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The Houthis currently control the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, including several major population centres, while the government retains control over large parts of the south. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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