Netanyahu reportedly sought Saudi approval for Yemen action

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought Saudi Arabia’s approval for Israeli military involvement against the Houthis in Yemen, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opposed the idea, according to an unnamed diplomatic source cited in reports. The account says the request was conveyed through U.S. mediation and was partly intended to advance normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The reported exchange has not been confirmed directly by Israeli, Saudi or U.S. officials in the material available. The three reports describing it all rely on the same unnamed source, so they do not independently establish that a formal request was made or that Saudi Arabia officially rejected one. The source said Mohammed bin Salman feared a domestic backlash against Israeli participation. Saudi officials have said normalization with Israel requires a path toward establishing a Palestinian state. The source also linked Netanyahu’s reported initiative to the prospect of improving ties with Riyadh, which has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The account comes amid heightened conflict involving the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, and Saudi Arabia.