Israel’s Bid to Join Saudi Fight Against Houthi Militia Rejected

Saudi Arabia has reportedly rejected an Israeli proposal to join military efforts against the Houthi militia in Yemen, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz and British media reports, amid continued obstacles to normalising relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

The reports said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to offer Saudi Arabia assistance against the Houthi militia through the United States. The proposal was reportedly intended to strengthen ties between Israel and the kingdom by presenting military cooperation as a shared regional security interest.

However, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rejected the proposed Israeli involvement, according to the reports. The reported decision comes against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, which has further complicated diplomatic efforts to establish formal relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Saudi Arabia has maintained that normalisation cannot proceed without tangible progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state. The position reflects Riyadh’s insistence that the Palestinian issue remains central to any potential agreement with Israel.

Before the Gaza war, diplomatic efforts had raised expectations that Saudi Arabia and Israel might move towards formal relations, potentially reshaping political and security arrangements across the Middle East. The conflict, however, has intensified regional tensions and made progress towards such an agreement more difficult.

The reported Israeli proposal also highlights the continuing importance of Yemen to regional security calculations. Attacks by the Houthi militia and threats to maritime routes have raised concerns among regional governments, particularly those with economic and strategic interests in the Red Sea and surrounding waters.

Despite those shared security concerns, the reported rejection suggests that Saudi Arabia is not prepared to separate military cooperation with Israel from the wider question of Palestinian statehood. Riyadh’s position places political progress on the Palestinian issue among the conditions for improving bilateral relations.

The reports did not provide details of the proposed military assistance, including its potential scope, timing or operational arrangements. Nor was an official Saudi statement confirming the reported rejection included in the available account.

The reported development underscores the difficulty of advancing Saudi-Israeli normalisation while the Gaza conflict and the Palestinian question remain unresolved. Any future diplomatic progress will depend on regional developments and whether the parties can address their differing political and security priorities.