Saudi Arabia prepares military operation for control over the Red Sea
Saudi Arabia is preparing a new offensive against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen to regain control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area and reduce the threat to shipping in the Red Sea.
Reuters reports this, citing six regional and Western officials familiar with the preparation of the operation.
According to the agency, the ground part of the offensive is to be carried out by Yemeni forces backed by Riyadh, while Saudi Arabia will provide air support.
Two main scenarios are currently being considered. The first envisages a limited operation directly in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area and on the Red Sea coast. The second assumes a larger-scale offensive simultaneously on several fronts, including the provinces of Al Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al Jawf.
Depending on the chosen option, more than 100,000 Yemeni troops may be involved in the operation.
The exact timing of the offensive's start has not yet been determined. Reuters sources name different possibilities, from the coming week to the period after the US midterm elections in early November.
Riyadh's main goal is said to be the return of territories that the Houthis captured during their rapid advance along the coast in September, when the group established control over the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the key routes of world trade between Asia and Europe. Ships bound for the Suez Canal pass through it.
The importance of Bab el-Mandeb has further increased amid the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz. Restriction of shipping on two of the most important oil routes at once creates risks for the supply of raw materials and fuel, and also increases the cost of transportation and insurance of vessels.
According to Reuters, Saudi authorities have concluded that new peace talks with the Houthis will be extremely difficult as long as the group controls Bab el-Mandeb and thereby gains significant leverage.
The United States is not expected to participate directly in ground fighting. However, Washington is already providing Saudi Arabia with intelligence and military advisers, including information needed to determine targets for airstrikes.
According to the agency, US President Donald Trump earlier rejected requests from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct American participation in the operation, including American airstrikes.
Pakistan and Turkey are also providing military support to Riyadh. Pakistan, in particular, has sent air defense equipment, light artillery, drones and counter-drone systems.
Pakistani military advisers are working alongside Saudi specialists and helping train Yemeni units. However, according to Reuters, Islamabad has not decided to send its own troops directly to conduct combat operations in Yemen.
In addition, tens of thousands of Pakistani troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia, primarily tasked with protecting the kingdom's borders and intercepting missiles and drones.
Turkish drones previously purchased by Saudi Arabia are already being used over Yemen. France has also announced the deployment of defensive systems and troops to strengthen the defense of the Saudi port of Yanbu on the Red Sea.
One of the main risks of a new operation remains a possible Houthi response with strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure. In recent weeks, the group has intensified the use of ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia.
On October 1, the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting four drones and two ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom's southern regions. In addition, Riyadh accused the Houthis of attacking an electricity facility in Medina. The Houthis denied involvement in the latter incident.
The difficulty of a future offensive is also linked to the state of the anti-Houthi forces themselves. The Yemeni formations supported by Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain politically and organizationally fragmented.
Analysts surveyed by Reuters note that the success of the operation will depend primarily on the ability of these units to act jointly and hold captured territories. Therefore, the most likely scenario is considered to be a limited one, aimed primarily at retaking the coast and restoring safe shipping through Bab el-Mandeb.
Based on materials from: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Arab News
