⚡️🇺🇸🇸🇦🇾🇪 — Despite Saudi requests, the U.S. is not entering direct combat against the Houthis “for now,” U.S. officials said, instead providing intelligence and targeting support, as Trump balances backing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman against avoiding a new Middle East front. CENTCOM had serious reservations about launching strikes in Yemen, viewing them as a distraction from its focus on Iran. — Axios

➡️ On Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman called Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to brief him on the planned operation and again request U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets; a second U.S. official said Washington “is not going to take kinetic action for now,” but could change course if the operation runs into problems.

On Friday, Trump’s senior cabinet officials met for hours at Camp David to discuss next steps in the Iran war and Yemen conflict, with no clear indication that the meeting produced new Yemen policy recommendations for the president.

➡️ The planned operation is a Yemeni PLC counteroffensive against the Houthis, reportedly prepared for weeks with Saudi backing to regain territory, with the key objective of restoring control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait; Saudi forces are mainly providing air cover for Yemeni forces while conducting airstrikes against Houthi targets. The broader objective is to retake Sanaa, under Houthi control for several years.

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