President Donald Trump revealed Friday that Israel has been assisting Saudi Arabia in its confrontation with Iran-backed Houthi rebels, signaling growing security cooperation between the two regional powers and suggesting that a historic normalization agreement could be closer than ever.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump was asked whether Saudi Arabia should accept Israeli assistance against the Houthis.
“Yeah, I do. I think they will. Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia,” Trump responded.
The president also expressed renewed optimism that Saudi Arabia could join the Abraham Accords, the landmark diplomatic initiative launched during his first administration that established formal relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
“Yeah, I think so. Maybe more than ever. The Abraham Accords is one of our great achievements. But Saudi Arabia is very happy to have Israel’s support and our support,” Trump said.
Iran’s Aggression Bringing Former Adversaries Together
The president’s remarks highlight a significant shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics, as the growing threat posed by Iran and its regional proxies creates common security interests between Israel and Saudi Arabia despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have increasingly threatened Saudi infrastructure and regional stability, providing both Jerusalem and Riyadh with a shared strategic interest in confronting Tehran’s expanding influence.
Before Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, terrorist assault against Israel, Washington had been making substantial progress toward a Saudi-Israeli normalization agreement. The war subsequently derailed those negotiations.
However, the renewed confrontation with Iran and its proxies may now be accelerating cooperation between the two countries.
In July, Washington and Riyadh announced a nuclear cooperation agreement, commonly known as a 123 Agreement. Trump subsequently made clear that Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords would be a requirement for advancing the arrangement.
The latest developments suggest that a common threat from Iran could accomplish what years of traditional diplomacy could not: bringing Israel and Saudi Arabia into a formal partnership that would fundamentally reshape the Middle East.
Nevertheless, no formal normalization agreement has been announced, and Saudi Arabia has not publicly confirmed the extent of the Israeli assistance described by Trump.
