SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Saudi Arabia is preparing for a possible military operation against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement to reverse the group’s recent gains around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, regional and Western officials told Reuters.
The operation could begin within weeks and would be led by Yemeni forces overseen by Riyadh, with support from Saudi airstrikes, according to six people familiar with the preparations.
Saudi Arabia is considering two options, officials said. One would focus on the area around Bab el-Mandeb, while the other would involve coordinated attacks across Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. More than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilised depending on the scale of the operation.
The timing remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from within a week to after the US midterm elections in early November.
Why Bab el-Mandeb matters
The Houthis advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast last month and seized territory around Bab el-Mandeb, according to officials cited by Reuters.
The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major shipping route between Europe and Asia. Its importance has increased as the wider Iran conflict has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Western diplomats and a Gulf official said Riyadh believes it cannot resume peace negotiations with the Houthis while the group controls territory around Bab el-Mandeb.
Michael Ratney, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said he expected any Saudi operation to remain limited, focusing on regaining coastal areas and restoring maritime traffic.
Support for Saudi Arabia
The United States is providing intelligence and military advisers to support Saudi operations in Yemen, including targeting information, according to a Western diplomat.
Pakistan and Türkiye have also supplied military equipment being used by Saudi-backed forces. Pakistan sent four cargo aircraft carrying air-defence systems, light artillery, drones and counter-drone equipment to Aden last month, according to a Pakistani official.
Pakistani military advisers are supporting Saudi counterparts, while Turkish drones purchased by Riyadh before the current conflict have been deployed over Yemen, officials said.
A Pakistani official said 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani troops have been deployed in Saudi Arabia to help defend its borders and intercept drones and missiles. Pakistan has not decided to send troops into Yemen for combat operations.
France has also announced plans to provide defensive systems and troops to protect the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Challenges for Yemeni forces
The ground operation would depend on Yemeni forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the civil war.
Yemen analyst Mohammed Albasha told Reuters that many anti-Houthi forces remain divided and are not fully prepared for a sustained campaign against the Houthis.
Saudi political analyst Ali Shihabi said the outcome would depend heavily on the performance of local forces.
Rising Saudi-Houthi tensions
The planned offensive comes amid renewed tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
The latest escalation began in July following an incident at Sanaa airport, after which the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out a strike and threatened retaliation. The group subsequently intensified missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi territory, including cities and critical energy infrastructure.
The attacks have increased security concerns along the Saudi-Yemeni border and put further pressure on the kingdom to protect its infrastructure.
On Thursday, October 1, the Saudi-led coalition accused the Houthis of attacking a power distribution station in Madinah that supplies the Prophet’s Mosque. The Houthis denied responsibility.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 after Houthi forces seized Sanaa. A truce reached in 2022 largely reduced fighting for several years before tensions escalated again this year.
SOURCE : SIASAT
