US task force aiding Saudis with intel, planning support: US official

A US military task force is working to enhance intelligence sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces, a US official said Tuesday, as the kingdom faces attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi fighters.

US Central Command "has a task force in place for enhancing intelligence sharing and planning support with Saudi forces," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the military command "maintains a strong security alliance with our Saudi partners in confronting regional challenges."

The Houthis have renewed fighting against Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen's civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait last week, which has become increasingly vital as the wider US-Iran war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz, another key Middle East shipping route.

The Houthis have also attacked oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the world's leading crude exporter, and the group says the kingdom has hit back with dozens of air strikes in Yemen.

The sudden revival of Yemen's war, dormant since 2022, has left Riyadh rushing to respond. Last week, US media reported that the kingdom's crown prince made a personal request to President Donald Trump for US intervention, but was turned down.

On Saturday, Trump said that the Houthis have asked Washington not to intervene.

The Yemen war dates back to the Houthi seizure of the capital Sanaa in 2014, with Saudi Arabia leading a coalition that intervened the following year on the government's side.

Iran has long supported the Houthis, a member of its anti-Israel "axis of resistance," including with weapons and technology, but has denied any role in the current war.