Conflict
US CENTCOM commander reportedly visits Saudi Arabia over Yemen tensions
US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper is reportedly in Saudi Arabia amid a sharp escalation in Yemen, according to Al Jazeera, which cited unnamed sources.
Cooper was in Saudi Arabia to discuss the recent escalation in Yemen where Iran-aligned Houthi forces have made rapid gains along the Red Sea coast and seized the strategic Mayun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Al Jazeera reported Saturday.
The reported visit comes as Saudi Arabia is looking for more US support in the face of Houthi advance. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked President Donald Trump for military assistance against the Houthis but Washington refused to conduct direct strikes while providing intelligence and targeting support, Reuters reported.
The Houthis’ advances have raised fears about the security of the Bab el-Mandeb, a key international shipping route linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia has also shut its East – West oil pipeline following a drone attack, adding to energy and security concerns in the region.