Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump at least twice on Thursday to request U.S. military help fighting the Houthis, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday, confirming an earlier Axios report. Washington told Riyadh it was not willing to take direct military action for now but would help with intelligence sharing and targeting, the same sources said. An Al-Monitor Reuters cut said Trump did not agree to U.S. strikes on Houthis, while offering intel and targeting support.
The White House did not address a Reuters question on any phone calls between the two leaders; that silence is not an on-record denial. A senior administration official, speaking anonymously, said Washington remains in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government. Friday’s Perim reach and the temporary East-West pipeline shut remain separate threads. The ask-and-response overhang heads into the weekend without a confirmed U.S. direct-action posture shift.
Sources: Reuters Gulf wire (MBS asked Trump section; ≥2× Thu; no direct action for now; intel/targeting; White House did not address; confirming Axios); Al-Monitor / Reuters byline (ask/response cut; senior-official dialogue); Axios (first report, attributed); ABC News (secondary posture).
