Trump says Israel-Saudi normalization 'back on the table,' Riyadh 'very happy' with Israel's defensive support against Houthis
Leader cites Israeli assistance against the Houthis as he voices renewed optimism over Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords
US President Donald Trump said Friday that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia was “back on the table,” saying Riyadh was pleased with Israeli and American support against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
“Maybe more than ever,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. “Saudi Arabia is very happy to have Israel’s support and our support.”
Asked whether Riyadh should accept Israeli assistance against the Houthis, Trump said he believed it would. “Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia,” he added, without specifying what assistance Israel had provided.
His comments followed a surge in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on energy infrastructure and Riyadh’s international airport that disrupted flights and threatened the kingdom’s economic ambitions.
Saudi Arabia has maintained that normalization requires a credible path to Palestinian statehood. Washington has sought to bring the kingdom into the Abraham Accords, the normalization framework established during Trump’s first term.