00:21Saudi Arabia is turning to unlikely partners as the Houthi threat around the Bab al-Mandab
00:28strait rapidly escalates.
00:31According to a report by Israel Hayom, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sought
00:38help from regional countries and indirectly from Israel to counter the growing Houthi threats.
00:45The report says MBS approached Israel indirectly through U.S. Central Command or CENTCOM seeking
00:52intelligence sharing and other assistance to prevent the Houthis from blocking or taking
00:58full control of the Bab al-Mandab.
01:02At the same time, Saudi Arabia has reportedly appealed directly to other Gulf states and
01:09Egypt for support.
01:11The stakes are enormous.
01:13The Bab al-Mandab is one of the world's most important maritime choke points connecting the
01:19Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.
01:24Saudi officials reportedly fear that a Houthi blockade could trigger economic damage even
01:30greater than the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
01:33The crisis comes after major Houthi advances along Yemen's western coastline.
01:39The Houthis have reportedly seized Moka, expanded their presence around the Bab, and taken strategic
01:46positions including Mayoun Island near the Bab al-Mandab.
01:51Further gains around the Hanish islands have also raised fears that the group could strengthen
01:56its grip over the Red Sea approaches.
01:59For Riyadh, this is no longer just a Yemen problem.
02:04Saudi Arabia has already carried out airstrikes against Houthi positions while facing continued
02:10missile and drone threats targeting areas inside the kingdom.
02:14The reported outreach to Egypt is also significant.
02:18A prolonged disruption at Bab al-Mandab could severely affect shipping through the Red Sea and,
02:25in turn, hit revenues linked to Egypt's Suez Canal.
02:29According to the reports, Cairo shares these concerns and has also sought U.S. assistance.
02:36But Washington has so far stopped short of directly answering the fight against the Houthis.
02:42Instead, the United States has reportedly offered intelligence, targeting information, and advisory
02:49support.
02:50That puts Israel in an unusual position.
02:54Saudi Arabia and Israel still do not have formal diplomatic relations.
02:59Any cooperation between the two would therefore be highly sensitive and, if it happens, likely
03:05remain behind the scenes.
03:07Israel also has its own reasons to worry.
03:11The Houthis have previously targeted Israel and disrupted Red Sea shipping, while Israeli-linked
03:17vessels and the port of Eilat have already been affected by the wider conflict.
03:23For now, there's no broad official confirmation from Saudi Arabia, Israel, or the United States
03:29of the exact nature of any Israeli assistance.
03:33But if the reported outreach is accurate, it signals just how seriously Riyadh views the
03:39Houthi advances.
03:41With the Bab al-Mandab Strait under growing pressure, Saudi Arabia may be looking beyond
03:47traditional alliances to prevent another major regional choke point from falling under Houthi
03:53control.
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