According to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu sent the proposal to Saudi Arabia through the United States. However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has opposed the move, fearing that the participation of Israeli forces could provoke anger in Saudi Arabia.
Israel hopes that assisting Saudi Arabia against the Houthis could strengthen ties between the two countries and potentially create an opportunity to establish diplomatic relations in the future.
Saudi Arabia has been fighting the Houthi rebels, who are active in Yemen. Israel sees the conflict as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with Saudi Arabia, a major Arab power that has long viewed the Houthis as a security challenge.
Another key objective for Israel is to weaken Iran’s regional influence. Iran and the Houthi rebels have maintained longstanding ties. Saudi Arabia and the United States have repeatedly accused Iran of providing the Houthis with weapons, training and technical assistance, enabling them to carry out attacks using drones and missiles.
The Houthis have emerged as a major security threat to Israel and several countries in the Middle East. They have attacked ships in the Red Sea and around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Amid continuing tensions involving Iran, the Houthis have also targeted Israel. Israel therefore wants to participate in the military campaign to weaken the rebel group.
Israeli involvement could also expand military coordination with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has long regarded the Houthis as a security threat, and Israel believes that supporting Saudi efforts against the group could help strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.
However, such involvement carries potential risks. The participation of Israeli forces in military operations linked to Saudi Arabia could trigger opposition within the kingdom and across the wider Arab world, complicating efforts to improve bilateral relations.
Despite their shared opposition to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Saudi Arabia to establish friendly relations with Israel, with Washington also proposing the Abraham Accords as a possible framework for normalising ties.
Under the Abraham Accords in 2020, several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, normalised relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia, however, has not established diplomatic relations with Israel.
The conflict in Yemen has remained a major security concern for Riyadh since the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. In 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a military campaign against the rebels alongside several other countries.
Saudi Arabia sought to restore Yemen’s internationally recognised government to power and end the Houthis’ control. Airstrikes continued in Yemen for several years, but the Saudi-led coalition failed to push the rebels back completely.
The Houthis continue to maintain control over large parts of Yemen, and their ongoing conflict has increasingly affected Saudi Arabia’s security. Netanyahu’s reported proposal to involve Israeli forces in the campaign highlights Israel’s efforts to weaken the Houthis while pursuing closer security cooperation and the possibility of future diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia.
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