Israel has begun providing intelligence to Saudi Arabia, with communications between the two countries being conducted through American mediation.
A diplomat from one of the countries in the region confirmed to Kan News on Tuesday evening that the initial request came from the Saudis, who asked the United States for assistance. The Americans relayed the request to Israeli officials, who agreed to provide assistance based on the view that the Houthi rebels constitute a threat and a broader regional problem.
Alongside these developments, security-related discussions were held on the sidelines of a meeting in Cairo between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Representatives of the US Central Command participated in these discussions and proposed establishing a regional command and mechanism to coordinate the fight against and response to the Yemeni rebels.
A foreign official familiar with the details of the contacts noted that American representatives who recently visited Israel said during the discussions in Egypt that Israel is capable of providing Saudi Arabia with a substantial amount of high-quality intelligence regarding Houthi forces and infrastructure.
This intelligence asset is based, among other things, on the operational experience accumulated by the Israeli defense establishment in confronting the rebels after they opened an active front against Israel following the events of October 7.
The primary purpose of transferring the intelligence is to ensure the continued freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.