Saudi Arabia weighs US support amid Houthi threats — Jerusalem Post
Saudi Arabia is assessing the possibility of US military support amid attacks and threats from groups linked to Iran. According to the Jerusalem Post, on September 11, an Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary group attacked Saudi Arabia’s key East-West pipeline, while Yemen’s Houthis were advancing toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The publication describes the situation as posing a risk of conflict on two fronts. According to its information, the Houthis were fortifying positions seized near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, conducting a propaganda campaign against Riyadh, and attacking Yemen’s government forces and Saudi Arabia. The group also threatened Mecca.
Delegation at the UN General Assembly
Saudi Arabia sent officials to the UN General Assembly in New York. One of the key issues for Riyadh on the sidelines of the session is the possibility of securing international support and coordinating further steps on Yemen with Washington.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan headed the Saudi delegation to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. It also included Saudi Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir, and Dr. Abdullah al-Rabeeah, who heads the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
F-35s and the situation in Yemen
The United States has advanced the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia; however, if the deal goes through, the fifth-generation aircraft will arrive in the kingdom only in several years. Citing New Arab and other reports, the Jerusalem Post notes that Washington has stepped back from plans to strike Houthi targets, despite the group’s intensifying attacks and territorial gains in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia has been fighting in Yemen since 2015. In July, Saudi Arabia and US Central Command responded to attacks by Iraqi groups, after which the attacks stopped for several weeks. According to military sources cited by Arab News, Yemen’s government forces confronted the Houthis on several fronts in Marib and forced them to retreat in the Al-Mashjah direction west of the city.
