US President Donald Trump has urged Saudi Arabia to accept Israel’s offer of assistance against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, describing Israeli support as “very helpful”, while raising the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and warning that Washington could launch another strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The remarks come amid escalating regional hostilities, with Saudi Arabia reporting missile and drone interceptions, Yemen’s internationally recognised government accusing the Houthis of targeting Aden International Airport, and Iran denying involvement in Houthi operations.
Asked at the White House whether Saudi Arabia should accept Israel’s offer to help counter the Houthis, Trump said, “Yeah, I do, sure. Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia.”
Trump also suggested that Saudi Arabia could join the Abraham Accords, the agreements launched in 2020 to normalise relations between Israel and several Arab countries.
Asked whether an agreement with Saudi Arabia was back on the table, Trump said, “Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think so. Maybe more than ever.”
He described the Abraham Accords as “one of our great achievements” and said Saudi Arabia was “very happy to have Israel's support and our support”.
In an interview with Israeli media on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked whether Saudi Arabia had sought Israel’s assistance. “There are barely any Middle Eastern states that aren’t asking us for help,” he said, according to The Times of Israel.
Israel and Saudi Arabia had been considered close to reaching an agreement to normalise relations before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that normalisation would require a clear pathway to Palestinian statehood.
Iran has denied involvement in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and said it was prepared to help resolve differences between the parties, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was willing to use its capabilities to help end the conflict if requested by the parties involved.
“The last 12 years have shown that foreign intervention and blockade are not the solution,” Baghaei said, arguing that regional countries should work to end the situation in Yemen.
“Iran denies claims of involvement in the Yemeni operation. Resolving the issue requires respect for Yemeni sovereignty, cessation of intervention, and an end to the air and naval blockade,” he said.
Baghaei added that the Houthis were acting in their own interests and that Iran did not consider escalating tensions beneficial to any party.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognised government on Friday accused the Houthis of targeting Aden International Airport with two missiles that landed near a Yemenia Airlines aircraft preparing to take off for Cairo. Information Minister Moammar Al-Eryani made the allegation.
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security advisory on Friday, dated October 15, warning American citizens of potential attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations and travel disruptions amid recent missile and unmanned aerial vehicle attacks.
The embassy urged US citizens to exercise extreme caution when using airports, check departure information directly with airlines and airports, and follow guidance from Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed on Friday that Saudi warplanes had carried out 101 airstrikes and missile attacks targeting what he described as civilian assets across Yemen in the preceding 24 hours.
In a post on X, Saree said the attacks had targeted Sanaa and the governorates of Dhale, Taiz, Hodeidah, Dhamar, Marib, Saada, Al-Jawf, Amran and Lahj. He alleged that civilians, including women and children, had been killed or injured.
Saree also claimed that the total number of Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks since the latest escalation began had reached 2,489.
The Saudi-led coalition, meanwhile, said its forces had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards Yanbu, two cruise missiles over the Red Sea and three drones in Saudi Arabia, according to coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki.
The competing claims come amid concerns over the security of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure and strategic maritime routes.
Separately, Trump said the United States could launch another strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground site near the Natanz enrichment facility.
In an interview at the White House on Thursday, Trump said Washington was considering targeting the site.
“Now we're looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there. We'll take a shot at that one. We'll knock it out fast,” he said.
Trump claimed the United States had already inflicted severe damage on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. However, he argued that Washington might have to take military action again if it withdrew before eliminating the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
He also said the conflict with Iran would end quickly and that Tehran was currently engaged in negotiations with Washington.
Pickaxe Mountain, located near the Natanz enrichment facility in Iran’s central Isfahan province, is considered one of the country’s most heavily fortified underground nuclear sites. Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike it, while Iran has said the facility is empty and any US attempt to attack it would fail.