Amidst renewed fighting and escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, Saudi Arabia has responded with extensive airstrikes. This escalation coincides with significant developments in regional diplomacy and military cooperation, including reports of Saudi security talks with Israeli intelligence agencies, potentially facilitated by the US, where intelligence on Houthi activities was shared. The UK is also reportedly sending military advisors to support Saudi Arabia. These events unfold against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's conditional stance on normalizing ties with Israel, linked to progress on Palestinian statehood, and the uncertain implications of the Mecca defence pact amid stalled Iran-Gulf states dialogues.

Amidst renewed fighting and escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, Saudi Arabia has responded with extensive airstrikes. This escalation coincides with significant developments in regional diplomacy and military cooperation, including reports of Saudi security talks with Israeli intelligence agencies, potentially facilitated by the US, where intelligence on Houthi activities was shared. The UK is also reportedly sending military advisors to support Saudi Arabia. These events unfold against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's conditional stance on normalizing ties with Israel, linked to progress on Palestinian statehood, and the uncertain implications of the Mecca defence pact amid stalled Iran-Gulf states dialogues.

Amidst renewed fighting and escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, Saudi Arabia has responded with extensive airstrikes. This escalation coincides with significant developments in regional diplomacy and military cooperation, including reports of Saudi security talks with Israeli intelligence agencies, potentially facilitated by the US, where intelligence on Houthi activities was shared. The UK is also reportedly sending military advisors to support Saudi Arabia. These events unfold against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's conditional stance on normalizing ties with Israel, linked to progress on Palestinian statehood, and the uncertain implications of the Mecca defence pact amid stalled Iran-Gulf states dialogues.

Pro-Iranian Houthis have acknowledged that Saudi launched more than 50 airstrikes on its territory on Tuesday amid renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen.

The Riyadh-led coalition says it will deal with the attacks “firmly to protect the sovereignty of the Kingdom” and would take “all necessary operational measures to deter this… hostile and extremist approach.”

The attacks come amid reports that Saudi Arabia security officials held talks with Israeli intelligence agencies. The talks were mediated by US Central Command, reported Walla, an Israeli news outlet.

According to sources, Israel reportedly provided Saudi Arabia with details of Houthi military deployments in the region and helped with potential plans for defence operations.

Another report by Bloomberg revealed that the UK has also agreed to send military advisors to assist Saudi Arabia.

A step closer to Abraham Accords?

Riyadh has not joined the Abraham Accords as it maintains that normalised ties with Israel requires a clear and irreversible path towards Palestinian statehood. Recently, Trump declared that the US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation agreement is completely dependent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords. It remains to be seen if Saudi will change its position regarding improving ties with Israel.

Saudi air strikes on Houthis come a day after the Iranian proxies fired dozens of missiles and drones at a southern military airbase in Khamis Mushait. Houthis have seized control on Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab strait last week.

This also comes in the backdrop of a postponed meeting between Iran and the Gulf states in Oman. Tehran later claimed that Riyadh requested the meeting to be postponed.

Failure of Mecca Pact?

Pakistan, which recently signed the Mecca defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, said last week that there were no discussions about a military response against Houthis from Islamabad under the agreement. ."There is no such thing under discussion right now ... When time comes (we) will act under the agreement," said Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan.

The Mecca Pact stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack on all of them.  

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