India, Sept. 16 -- Saudi Arabia and Israel have held talks mediated by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) aimed at providing Riyadh with intelligence assistance to counter an intensifying campaign of Houthi attacks, regional diplomatic sources have confirmed - an outreach that comes even as Saudi Arabia's own defence pact with Pakistan has so far yielded no direct military support.

According to reports citing diplomatic and security officials in the region, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had reached out to several countries across the Middle East - and, indirectly, to Israel - seeking help as the kingdom faces mounting setbacks against the Houthis. The approach to Israel is understood to have gone through CENTCOM rather than dire...