Trump weighs how far to back Saudi crown prince without deepening Middle East conflict
Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure have kept oil markets on edge as Trump considers how far to support Riyadh
Published
Map: The Middle East, marking Sanaa, Riyadh
Trump faces a choice between standing behind Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and staying out of a wider Middle East conflict.
The Houthis have spent weeks striking Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping lanes. An explosion was reported in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday, according to Osintdefender, part of a pattern of tit-for-tat strikes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis that has held for weeks. The Houthi leader has said the group is ready for a fair deal to end the conflict with Saudi Arabia.
Brent crude rose 1% on Sunday after a Houthi attack on the Saudi capital, reversing a week of declines that had followed pipeline repairs and Omani-mediated truce talks between Riyadh and the Houthis.
Trump's constraint is political rather than economic. Falling approval ratings and friction with allies leave him little room to escalate in the Middle East without looking erratic, pushing him toward de-escalation rhetoric rather than military commitment. That restraint, if it holds, could calm oil markets further if it signals to Houthi negotiators, who have already shown openness to a deal, that Washington wants the fighting to end.