Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called #Trump twice on Thursday, requesting US strikes on the Houthis. The request followed a sharp deterioration in the position of Riyadh-backed Yemeni forces after the Houthis seized the strategic port of Mocha and advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Trump rejected the request. The White House emphasized that direct US entry into combat operations against the Houthis is not currently planned. However