Saudi Arabia has asked several regional and Western countries for air defense support as fighting with Yemen’s Houthis continues.
Two regional officials said Riyadh has approached France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt.
The officials said Saudi Arabia wants help against missiles and drones launched by the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups.
The requests come as Saudi Arabia faces a shortage of missile interceptors.
One official said the United States also has fewer interceptors after six months of war with Iran. The US remains Saudi Arabia’s main ally and weapons supplier.
The two officials spoke anonymously because they lacked permission to brief the media.
Saudi Arabia Seeks Help From Regional Allies
Saudi officials did not immediately comment on the reports.
However, a Saudi source cited by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster said Riyadh would not change its position on Israel.
The source said Saudi Arabia would not normalize relations with Israel without progress on the Palestinian issue.
The report did not say whether Saudi Arabia had asked Israel for military assistance.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly linked normalization with the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The Saudi government has said it will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without Palestinian statehood based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Riyadh Maintains Position on Normalization
The Saudi source told Kan that Riyadh would not take a more flexible position on normalization.
Saudi Arabia has maintained this position for years.
In May 2026, a Saudi source told CNN that the kingdom would not normalize relations with Israel without an independent Palestinian state.
The source also called for clear guarantees for a two-state solution.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry has also stated that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without recognition of an independent Palestinian state.
Houthi Conflict Adds to Regional Tensions
The latest Saudi-Houthi clashes have opened another front in the wider regional conflict.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Houthi drone near Mecca.
Saudi authorities called the security of Mecca a red line.
The Houthis denied targeting the holy city.
The group said the Saudi accusation was false.
The reported attack has added to concerns over Saudi Arabia’s air defense capacity.
No country has publicly confirmed a decision to send military forces to support Saudi Arabia, according to recent reporting.
The conflict also affects key regional shipping and energy routes.
Houthi forces control parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Their activities have increased security concerns around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
