Riyadh:Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has declined an Israeli proposal to participate in the military campaign against Yemen's Houthi group. This decision comes despite efforts to gain Riyadh's approval through U.S. mediation, as reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

According to Anadolu Agency, the crown prince is concerned that cooperation with Israel could trigger a negative reaction among the Saudi public. The report, citing an unnamed diplomatic source, indicates that Saudi Arabia is not interested in Israeli military assistance.

An additional source familiar with the situation noted that Israel was hoping to enhance bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia through military cooperation, potentially leading to a future normalization agreement. However, there has been no immediate comment from Saudi authorities regarding the report.

Saudi Arabia currently has no diplomatic relations with Israel, maintaining that normalization will depend on resolving the Palestinian issue, including the establishment of a Palestinian state.

These developments occur amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, with repeated strikes on airports resulting in casualties and flight disruptions. On Saturday, an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in 13 deaths and over 300 injuries. A subsequent attack on Sunday at the same airport killed a Pakistani resident and injured 11 others, as reported by Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation.

The escalation of attacks began in July following a period of relative calm after a UN-brokered truce took effect in April 2022. Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the country's internationally recognized government.