Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major military operation against the Houthi rebels in Yemen that could include a ground offensive in the center of the country, The Guardian reported Friday, citing Yemeni sources. The move is aimed at breaking the Houthi blockade on Saudi oil export routes in the southern Red Sea.
3+According to the sources, Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from eastern Yemen and regrouping for a possible attack in al-Bayda province in south-central Yemen. The area was captured by the Houthis in 2020–2021 and is considered a potential key point in a broader military campaign against the Iran-backed organization.
Alongside the ground preparations, Riyadh is advancing the formation of an international naval coalition to secure shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Saudi Defense Ministry announced that 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, have signed a joint declaration supporting the establishment of the naval force. Saudi Arabia has also approached the United States and leading European nations, including Britain, France, Germany and Italy, asking them to join the initiative.
3+The Saudi move comes after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi vessels on July 20. Recent days have also seen attacks on strategic oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that link oil fields in the east of the country to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, as well as another strike on a Saudi commercial ship in the area.
Behind the developments is mounting pressure on Saudi oil exports. The Red Sea route has become more significant for Riyadh following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major portion of the kingdom’s oil exports previously passed. A parallel blockade of shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Hormuz area could severely damage Saudi oil transport capacity and also impact the global energy market.
3+Meanwhile, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met in Washington with U.S. Vice President JD Vance to discuss regional developments and tensions with Iran. According to sources, the Saudi message was that Riyadh does not want a full-scale escalation but is determined to defend its energy infrastructure and sovereignty.
At the same time, the Saudis made clear that recent strikes against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, carried out in coordination with the United States, were meant to send a deterrent message following drone attacks on energy infrastructure in the kingdom. According to sources, Riyadh views these actions as a limited signal, not an attempt to slide into a broader regional confrontation.
3+Regarding the Yemen theater, Prince Khalid told Washington that Saudi Arabia is capable of dealing with the Houthi threat without additional American involvement at this stage. Alongside the military preparations, direct and indirect contacts with the Houthis continue, along with mediation efforts by Oman and Iran in an attempt to reduce tensions and reopen shipping routes in the region.