Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pressed President Trump to take direct military action against Iran‑backed Houthi forces after the group seized the strategic island of Mayyun (also known as Perim) and the coastal town of Dhubab in Yemen. The rapid advance along the Bab al‑Mandab Strait – a vital choke point linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden – triggered urgent high‑level discussions in Riyadh and Washington.
U.S. response under the Trump administration
While the United States is not yet committing ground troops, President Trump assured the Crown Prince that Washington will provide intelligence and targeting assistance. A senior administration official told Fox News Digital that the United States remains focused on protecting core national‑security interests, including freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, and is working closely with Saudi and Yemeni partners.
U.S. Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper traveled to Saudi Arabia for coordination talks, underscoring the administration’s hands‑on approach to regional stability.
Strategic importance of Bab al‑Mandab
The Bab al‑Mandab Strait, only about 18 miles wide at its narrowest point, serves as the southern gateway to the Suez Canal. Roughly 7% of global oil output passed through the strait in June, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters. Disruption forces commercial vessels to reroute around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks of travel and significant cost.
At the same time, Iran continues to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported that only seven vessels transited Hormuz on a recent Thursday, far below the pre‑war daily average of 125, highlighting the pressure on both maritime arteries.
Expert analysis
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Houthi advance reflects Tehran’s effort to regain leverage as its influence in the Strait of Hormuz wanes. “Trump’s success in pushing back on Iran’s maritime threat in the Strait of Hormuz has made the regime lose the leverage it had, and now it is looking to double down on the Houthis,” Taleblu explained.
Former U.S. special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking noted that the 2022 U.N.‑brokered truce allowed the Houthis to regroup, retrain, and restock. He traced recent escalation to Iranian Mahan Air flights delivering personnel and equipment, likely members of the IRGC, to support the Houthi war effort.
Potential implications for U.S. policy
The administration’s stance balances direct support for Saudi partners with a measured avoidance of a new U.S. ground deployment. By offering intelligence and targeting assistance, President Trump is reinforcing regional allies while keeping American forces focused on the broader Iranian challenge in the Persian Gulf.
Analysts warn that if the Houthis continue to press their advantage, the United States may need to expand its role to ensure the uninterrupted flow of global commerce through both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
What’s next?
Washington and Riyadh remain in continuous dialogue about regional stability. The Trump administration’s commitment to empowering regional partners and safeguarding maritime trade aligns with its broader strategy of confronting Iran’s malign influence while protecting American economic interests.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
