Riyadh reportedly refusing to soften its conditions for joining the Abraham Accords in exchange for assistance from the US or Israel in blocking the advance of Iranian-backed Houthis.By David Rosenberg, World Israel NewsSaudi Arabia is reportedly refusing to soften its conditions for joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing ties with the State of Israel, despite its overtures to both the United States and Israel for assistance in blunting the advance of Iranian-backed Houthi forces.A Saudi source told Israel’s public broadcaster Kan that even Israeli assistance against the Houthis would not prompt Riyadh to abandon its longstanding position that normalization must be accompanied by a commitment from Israel to recognizing Palestinian statehood.“The assumption that… Riyadh will be flexible on the matter of normalization with Jerusalem is mistaken,” the source said.Saudi Arabia has repeatedly conditioned formal relations with Israel on the creation of a credible route toward Palestinian statehood.In May, amid renewed US pressure for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, a Saudi source said the kingdom would require an “irreversible pathway” toward a Palestinian state.The position is consistent with an earlier formal statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, which said there would be no diplomatic relations with Israel without recognition of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.The renewed focus on possible Saudi-Israeli cooperation comes as Riyadh faces its most serious confrontation with the Houthis in years.Two regional officials told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia is running short of missile interceptors and has asked Britain, France, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defense capabilities to help protect the kingdom from Houthi missiles and drones and attacks by other Iran-aligned groups.One official described Riyadh as being in a “very difficult position,” with Saudi defenses required to cover military installations, government facilities and a sprawling network of oil infrastructure.The kingdom’s predicament has been compounded by depleted US interceptor stocks after six months of war with Iran, according to officials cited by AP.Washington has offered intelligence and planning support but has so far shown little interest in entering the Saudi-Houthi fighting directly.At the same time, separate Israeli reports indicate Riyadh has quietly sought assistance from Israel through US Central Command.Israel Hayom reported this week, citing regional diplomatic and security officials, that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approached Israel indirectly through CENTCOM seeking intelligence and other assistance against the Houthis, particularly to protect the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.An Israeli official said Riyadh was well aware of Israel’s capabilities in detecting and intercepting missiles and drones.“It is absolutely clear what the Saudis are asking for,” the official said, adding that intelligence and early-warning assistance was likely already being provided through CENTCOM.Neither the Saudi nor Israeli governments have publicly confirmed direct bilateral military cooperation.The contacts come after a sudden Houthi offensive dramatically changed the battlefield in Yemen.The group has captured territory along the Red Sea coast, including the strategic port of Mocha, and seized islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which a major share of international shipping passes.Reuters reported that the offensive overran Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and left Riyadh with sharply reduced options for containing the group.The Bab el-Mandeb has taken on even greater importance because of disruptions elsewhere in the region.Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which can transport millions of barrels of crude per day from eastern oil fields toward the Red Sea, was shut after a recent attack attributed to Iran-aligned forces operating from Iraq.Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel during the escalation, although they eased Thursday after reports that Saudi Arabia had found alternative ways to move additional crude through Oman.The Saudi-Houthi confrontation escalated further this week when Riyadh accused the group of launching a drone toward Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.Saudi authorities said the aircraft was intercepted and declared the city a “red line.”The Houthis denied that they had targeted Mecca.The accusation drew expressions of solidarity with Saudi Arabia from Muslim-majority governments, though there has so far been little indication that Riyadh’s partners are prepared to become directly involved militarily.Pakistan and Turkey, which entered a trilateral defense arrangement with Saudi Arabia in August, told AP that they had not received requests from Riyadh to intervene against the Houthis.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif nevertheless said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stood “unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder.”Saudi Arabia is also reportedly pursuing diplomatic avenues.Egypt and Oman have been involved in efforts to de-escalate the Yemen fighting, with one regional official saying that “the decision now is to give diplomacy a chance.”US Vice President JD Vance said Washington had been in “constant contact” with the Saudis while also having “engaged in direct conversations with the Houthis.”The post Saudis unwilling to recognize Israel in exchange for aid against Houthis – report appeared first on World Israel News.