Saudi Arabia Turns To Israel For Intelligence Help Amid Houthi Attacks: Report

Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a major attack on several Saudi cities and military bases on September 14-15, 2026, using ballistic missiles and drones. As Saudi Arabia faces a deepening crisis, Pakistan has reportedly refused to provide troops or weapons to fight the Houthis.

Following the Houthi occupation of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Saudi Arabia has turned to Israel for assistance. Notably, like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel as an independent nation and the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.

According to a report in The Jerusalem Post, Israel and Saudi Arabia held talks, mediated by US Central Command, to discuss ways to normalise the situation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels through intelligence support.

Israel's Hayom newspaper separately reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had appealed to other Gulf countries and Egypt for assistance in the fight against the Houthi rebels. The report claimed that Mohammed bin Salman had indirectly contacted Israel through US Central Command, seeking intelligence assistance regarding threats looming in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, also known as the "Gate of Tears".

Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel as an independent nation, and the two countries do not have diplomatic relations. Nevertheless, the contact with Israel, even if indirect, reflects the serious crisis facing Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Many countries have directly ignored Saudi appeals. The United States and Britain have refused to directly attack the Houthis in Yemen and instead have offered intelligence support and military advisers. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are partners in the Mecca Defense Alliance.

Pakistan has reportedly refused to provide troops or weapons to fight the Houthis in Yemen. Islamabad has made it clear that its forces could be deployed to defend Saudi territory. After weeks of sporadic drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure, the Houthis launched an offensive in Yemen last week, eliminating all resistance from the Saudi-backed coalition.

The sudden Houthi attack gave the rebels control of the Bab al-Mandeb islands along the Red Sea coast. The Houthis announced that the blockade on Saudi shipping, in place since July, would continue, while allowing ships from other countries, including the US, to transit freely.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, or "Gate of Tears", was a vital sea route for Saudi Arabia, allowing it to safely export oil while avoiding any potential Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the sea route has been closed, while Saudi Arabia's vast internal pipeline network has also been targeted by attacks.

The closure of the sea route and damage to the land pipeline network have severely crippled Saudi Arabia's alternative oil transport infrastructure. Saudi Arabia has contacted Israel because Israel has previously encountered the Houthis.

Following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in 2023, the Houthis began targeting Israeli-allied ships in the Red Sea. According to the report, Israeli assistance to Saudi Arabia will be limited to intelligence. Houthi rebels launched a significant attack on September 14-15, 2026, using ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi cities and military bases.

This offensive also gave them control of the Bab al-Mandeb islands. Saudi Arabia, facing a deepening crisis after Houthi actions, turned to Israel for intelligence support. This was mediated by US Central Command, despite the lack of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Pakistan reportedly refused to provide troops or weapons to fight the Houthis in Yemen. However, Islamabad clarified its forces could be deployed to defend Saudi territory.