US Military Leaders Divided Over Involvement in Yemen Conflict
US military leaders are at odds over whether to involve President Donald Trump in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthis, according to two US officials who spoke with NBC News. The debate follows a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi targets, including the downing of a Saudi F-15 fighter jet.
Saudi Arabia has been pressing Trump for direct military action against the Houthis, citing their advance on Marib province and one of Yemen's largest oil and gas fields. However, some US military leaders argue that opening another front in the region is unwise due to the Pentagon's dwindling supply of defensive and long-range weaponry.
Others believe that failing to act more forcefully would betray an important regional ally, while a senior US military leader warned that striking the Houthis could create risk to US troops involved in the Iran war mission. Trump had ordered strikes to begin at 5 pm EST on Sunday, but the order was canceled around 2 pm.
One official said that Trump has not ruled out military action in the future, while another stated that the president 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.