Saudi weighs Yemen offensive

Riyad Saudi Arabia is preparing options for a possible military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, with plans ranging from a focused coastal operation to a broader assault across several fronts, according to regional and Western officials cited by Reuters. The offensive, expected potentially in the coming weeks, would be led by Yemeni forces overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi air strikes. Six people familiar with the preparations said the United States is providing intelligence support to Saudi operations, while some regional and European countries are supplying mainly defensive military assistance. Those allies are not expected to participate directly in combat operations. A central objective would be to reverse recent Houthi gains along Yemen’s western coast, including their reported seizure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The strategic waterway links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and has become increasingly important for international shipping. Officials said Riyadh is considering two main options. One would focus on retaking areas around Bab el-Mandeb, while the other would involve coordinated attacks across several governorates, including Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. Depending on the scale of the operation, more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilised, officials said. Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015, leading an Arab coalition supporting the internationally recognised government. A 2022 truce largely held until this year, when Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure intensified amid the wider Iran conflict. Saudi officials reportedly believe new peace talks with the Houthis would be difficult while the group controls Bab el-Mandeb.