Saudis plan assault on Houthis to break Red Sea chokehold
By Timour Azhari and Mubasher Bukhari RIYADH, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is planning an offensive against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters. The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will by led by…
Saudi Arabia is reportedly strategizing an offensive against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, with the aim of breaking the group's chokehold on the Red Sea shipping route, according to regional and Western officials.
The operation, expected to commence within the next few weeks, will be led by Yemeni ground forces under Riyadh's supervision and backed by Saudi air strikes, according to six sources familiar with the preparations. While the United States provides intelligence support, and some regional and European nations offer defensive military aid, direct combat involvement from allies is not anticipated.
Saudi Arabia has been engaged in Yemen's civil war since 2015, backing the internationally recognized government. However, a truce in 2022 largely held until recently when the Houthis resumed missile and drone attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure, allegedly retaliating from the Iran conflict.
The planned offensive seeks to counter the Houthi's recent advances down the coast and seizure of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a strategic passageway vital to global shipping. Riyadh views control of Bab el-Mandeb as crucial, as the group holds significant international leverage over the vital shipping route.
Two main options are being considered for the assault: a narrow-focused attack targeting the Bab el-Mandeb area or a broader operation encompassing multiple fronts in Yemen's governorates of Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al-Jawf. If launched, more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilized, contingent on the operation's scale.
The exact timing of the offensive remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from a week to after the US midterm elections in early November. Michael Ratney, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, anticipates a more limited operation, aimed at retaking coastal areas and restoring normal maritime traffic.
Saudi Arabia is relying on its allies for defensive assistance, including Pakistan and Turkey, which have provided military equipment to aid in Yemeni forces' defense efforts. The kingdom's primary concern in launching the offensive is safeguarding its oil facilities and infrastructure against Houthi drone and missile attacks.
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