US Media: Trump Ordered Preparations to Strike Houthis, Then Backed Down at the Last Minute
Axios, citing US officials, reported that US President Donald Trump considered ordering a strike against the Houthis over the weekend before deciding to hold off for now. A US official told the site that the head of US Central Command had prepared options for strikes in Yemen, but Trump decided to delay them.
Furthermore, The New York Times reported that Trump on Thursday ordered preparations for strikes against the Houthis after a call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who again urged him to intervene to help curb the Houthis' advance. Trump then reversed the decision on Sunday, as US planes were being loaded with ammunition in preparation to carry out the orders.
The newspaper added that Trump had met with his advisers the previous day and told them he did not support military strikes, but he changed his mind after speaking with the Saudi Crown Prince and directed the US Department of Defense to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis.
According to The New York Times, by midday Sunday, Trump appeared to have reversed his decision again, and it was decided not to launch US airstrikes against the Houthis, at least for now. The White House Press Office officially declined to discuss the president's deliberations, with a senior administration official only saying, "The United States has a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we will always defend our allies."
The newspaper said a senior administration official reported that most members of Trump's inner circle were either highly skeptical or completely opposed to getting involved in the Saudi fight against the Houthis, especially given the pressures the US military already faces in the conflict with Iran.
According to the newspaper, Trump's reversal on striking Houthi targets, or at least its postponement, came after commanders had approved target lists and forces were loading bombs onto US warplanes designated for the mission, as the wave of attacks was about to begin, according to two people briefed on the operation's details.
The New York Times mentioned that Trump stated the United States is in constant contact with the Houthi group, noting, according to the newspaper, that the Houthis have so far agreed not to fight the United States.
The newspaper added that these shifts in position reflect the predicament Trump finds himself in, as he is correct in saying that the Houthis have avoided attacking US ships, but they have targeted the Kingdom, creating a dilemma for the president.
Some US military officials believe, according to The New York Times, that the United States needed assistance from the Kingdom in the conflict with Iran, while Saudi officials have shown a willingness to use their leverage in the absence of US cooperation.
المصدر: Axios and The New York Times
