US military leaders divided over striking Yemen’s Houthis, opening a second warfront - report

US military leaders are reportedly divided over whether US President Donald Trump should get involved in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthis, according to two US officials who spoke with NBC News. Saudi Arabia has been pressing Trump for US military action against the Houthis, a request that intensified after the rebels claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet and advanced on Marib province, where one of Yemen's largest oil and gas fields is located.

Some military leaders argue that opening another front in the region is unwise given the Pentagon's dwindling supply of defensive and long-range weaponry, noting the Houthis are not targeting US ships. Others argue the US should help Saudi Arabia retaliate, warning that failing to act more forcefully would betray an important regional ally.

According to the report, Trump had ordered strikes to begin at 5 pm EST on Sunday, but the military was notified around 2 pm that the order was canceled. One official said Trump has not ruled out military action in the future.

The officials also said that one senior US military leader in the region warned that striking the Houthis could create risk to US troops involved in the Iran war mission, including the naval blockade and security operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The same leader said US forces could carry out both the Iran mission and strikes on the Houthis while mitigating some of that risk.

Trump had shown little interest in acting until Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told him by phone last Thursday that the kingdom could not succeed alone. The Houthis said Saturday they struck sites in Riyadh and an Aramco facility in Yanbu, while also advancing to control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another key oil chokepoint.

Trump said earlier this month that the Houthis "don't want to fight" with the US.