How Trump helped the Saudis launch a campaign in Yemen - Axios
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, during which he asked for support for a military operation against the Houthis. This is reported by Axios. According…
Assessment
A single phone call between the Saudi crown prince and the U.S. president appears to have greenlit a new military campaign in Yemen. The trigger was an Iranian airline flight to the Houthi-held capital, breaking a decade-long air blockade. This suggests that the U.S. is willing to back Saudi escalation against the Houthis, potentially widening a conflict that has already caused a humanitarian crisis. The key question is how far this support will go and whether it will draw in Iran directly.