The Israeli government is secretly providing intelligence to Saudi Arabia to assist the country against the Houthis of Yemen. These claims seem credible given the immediate threats to Israel from Yemen, especially after Houthi missile attacks on Israeli territories during the Gaza war. Additionally, vessels associated with Saudi Arabia and Israel have been barred from navigating the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks.
Details of Intelligence Cooperation
Reports indicate that Israel and Saudi Arabia are engaged in direct talks facilitated by the United States Central Command. The aim of these discussions is to strengthen Saudi Arabia's ability to counter the increasing threats from the Houthis. It appears that Israel is providing information regarding military positions, weaponry infrastructure, and operational plans of the Houthis.
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Furthermore, the head of the United States Central Command, Brian Cooper, has traveled to Saudi Arabia and discussed military assistance requests from Washington and London during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Only Britain seems to be considering new intervention in Yemen, and Saudi Arabia is also seeking assistance from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Security and Military Implications
Saudi Arabia has recently come under direct missile and drone attacks and is striving to protect its oil infrastructure in particular. This comes as efforts to restore the East-West pipeline to operational status continue, after it appeared that drones from Shiite militia groups in Iraq had damaged this infrastructure.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also prepared to offer his services to countries in the Arabian Peninsula and has expressed his willingness to participate in a comprehensive war against Ansar Allah, the Houthi movement. Reports indicate that Netanyahu has instructed Israeli security and military agencies to prepare for possible actions against Iran and Hezbollah.
Moreover, Israel has been continuously targeting southern Lebanon for several months, despite an agreement for a ceasefire with Hezbollah. These developments represent a new challenge in the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East, and the intelligence cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia may be considered a provocative action.
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