Saudi Crown Prince and US Centcom Chief Hold High-Level Talks Amid Rising Houthi Attacks

US Central Command chief Adm Brad Cooper traveled to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, arriving as Yemen's Houthi rebels intensified their military campaigns against the kingdom.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Mohammed welcomed Adm Cooper and his accompanying delegation in Jeddah. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and the US, alongside a comprehensive review of regional developments.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who maintain control over Yemen's most populous regions and a vast portion of the north, initiated a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July. Since then, they have launched persistent strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. On Monday, Saudi Civil Defence issued emergency alerts warning of imminent dangers across Najran, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Abha, before subsequently lifting the notices for the four southern cities.

These southern municipalities have faced continuous security alerts following a dramatic escalation that included drone strikes on Friday. The attacks severely damaged the 1,200km East-West pipeline spanning the Arabian Peninsula, a vital corridor for Middle East oil exports designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, the Houthis claimed the capture of Perim island, situated strategically in the Bab Al Mandeb strait.

While Saudi authorities have yet to disclose the full extent of the pipeline damage or its repair timeline, satellite imagery revealed heavy smoke billowing from multiple points along the infrastructure. The Houthis, who seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, have engaged a Saudi-led coalition for over a decade. Their recent advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast marks the most significant military escalation in years.

Demonstrating this intensification, the Houthis announced a major military operation on Monday targeting King Khalid Airbase in Khamis Mushait. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the assault utilized dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against aircraft hangars, radar installations, runways, and ammunition depots. Saree noted the operation came in retaliation for over 300 Saudi air strikes conducted across Yemeni provinces over the preceding five days by F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets operating from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases.