Washington Hesitates as Houthi Attacks Test Saudi-US Alliance

The Houthis have intensified their campaign, targeting oil infrastructure and shipping lanes while advancing along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. For Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, these strikes threaten his ambitious vision to transform the kingdom into a global hub for trade and tourism. While Washington continues to supply weapons and intelligence, the decision to withhold direct combat support has left Saudi leadership questioning the reliability of their long-standing security umbrella.

Retired Lieutenant General Karen Gibson, former intelligence director at US Central Command, noted that the current US stance signals to Riyadh that Washington will not necessarily intervene whenever Saudi interests are at stake. This friction is compounded by a complex history between the two leaders; while Donald Trump has publicly praised the prince as a "warrior," private remarks and shifting military priorities have created a volatile dynamic. With the US prioritizing its own stockpiles and pursuing independent diplomatic channels with the Houthis via Oman, the kingdom finds itself increasingly isolated in a conflict it had previously sought to exit.