Updated

US President Donald Trump said on October 16, 2026 that Saudi Arabia should accept an Israeli offer of help in its fight against Yemen's Houthis, saying "Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia," and suggested the Abraham Accords could gain renewed momentum with Riyadh. A diplomatic source told Haaretz that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying, with US mediation, to persuade Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow Israeli assistance against the Houthis, though bin Salman reportedly remains wary of the domestic political optics. Trump's remarks come as fighting between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels intensifies, with Washington continuing to push for broader Saudi-Israeli normalization.