RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is weighing a new military offensive against Houthi forces in Yemen, with Riyadh considering attacks around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait or a wider push across several fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters.
The operation could begin within weeks and would rely on Yemeni forces backed by Saudi airstrikes, according to six people familiar with the preparations.
The main goal would be to reverse recent Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and regain control of areas around Bab el-Mandeb, a crucial maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi officials are considering two options, according to Gulf and Yemeni officials. One would focus on the area around Bab el-Mandeb, while the other would combine attacks across the governorates of Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf.
More than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilized depending on the scale of the operation, the officials said.
The timing remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from within a week to after the U.S. midterm elections in early November.
The United States is providing intelligence and military advisers to support Saudi operations in Yemen, including information used for targeting, according to a Western diplomat cited by Reuters.
However, Saudi allies are not expected to take part directly in combat operations.
Pakistan and Turkey have provided military equipment to Saudi Arabia. Pakistani officials said Islamabad sent four cargo planes carrying air defense systems, light artillery, drones and counter-drone equipment to Aden last month.
Pakistani military advisers are also working with Saudi counterparts to support Yemeni forces, according to Pakistani and Western officials.
A Pakistani official said between 30,000 and 40,000 Pakistani troops have been deployed to Saudi Arabia to help defend its borders and assist with drone and missile interceptions. The official said Pakistan has not decided to send troops into Yemen for combat operations.
France has also announced plans to provide defensive systems and troops to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
Focus on Bab el-Mandeb
Bab el-Mandeb is a major shipping passage at the southern end of the Red Sea and an important link between Europe and Asia.
Saudi Arabia believes it cannot return to peace negotiations with the Houthis while the group controls territory around the strait, according to Gulf officials and Western diplomats.
Michael Ratney, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said he expected any offensive to remain relatively limited, with the focus likely to be on retaking coastal areas and restoring normal maritime traffic.
The Houthis have emerged as a major Iran-aligned force in the region and have expanded their influence amid wider Middle East conflicts.
Any ground offensive would depend on a coalition of Yemeni forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during the country’s long-running civil war.
Yemen analyst Mohammed Albasha said many anti-Houthi forces remain divided and are not fully prepared for a sustained offensive against the Houthis.
Saudi political analyst Ali Shihabi said the outcome of any operation would largely depend on the performance of local Yemeni forces.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition supporting the internationally recognized government after Houthi forces seized control of the capital, Sanaa.
A truce reached in 2022 largely held for several years before tensions escalated again this year, with Houthi attacks on Saudi-linked shipping and oil infrastructure amid the wider regional conflict.
