Saudi Arabia will not soften its conditions for normalization with Israel in exchange for Israeli intelligence assistance against the Houthis, with a Saudi official insisting that progress on the Palestinian issue remains a prerequisite for any agreement with Jerusalem, Kan News’ Roi Kais reports.

The clarification comes amid indications that Israel has begun providing Riyadh with intelligence on the Houthis through the United States. According to a regional diplomat, Saudi Arabia requested assistance from Washington, which then approached Israel. Jerusalem agreed to provide intelligence because it views the Houthis as a broader regional threat.

Despite the growing security challenge, the Saudi official stressed that Riyadh will not pursue normalization through a third party or negotiate from what it views as a position of weakness. Saudi Arabia currently favors an international effort to dismantle the Houthi threat rather than relying on an all-out military campaign, with its immediate priority being to regain territory captured by the terrorists near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Houthis have made significant territorial gains in Yemen, taking control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Perim Island after pro-Saudi Yemeni government forces withdrew. The terrorists had previously captured the port city of Mocha and the city of Dhubab, further increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia and threatening one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)