WASHINGTON, 11 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called U.S. President Donald Trump twice on Thursday and urged him to launch strikes against the Houthis, Axios reported, citing two U.S. official .According to the report, Trump rejected the request, while U.S. officials said the administration does not intend to take direct military action against the Houthis at this time. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House and the Saudi Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours. Axios reported that the United States is increasingly concerned about the rapidly escalating conflict in Yemen and is strengthening support for Saudi Arabia while seeking to avoid direct military involvement. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for urgent coordination talks, the report said. U.S. military and civilian officials have also told their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks that President Trump has directed American forces to remain focused on Iran and safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz while avoiding the opening of another military front, Axios added. Reuters reported earlier in July that Saudi Arabia was seeking to build an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks as tensions in and around Yemen continued to escalate. The latest escalation dates back to early July, when the Houthis said their forces had confronted Saudi “warplanes” attempting to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport.