Saudi Arabia prepares offensive against Houthis in Yemen — Defense News
Saudi Arabia is considering launching an offensive against the Houthis in Yemen. The likely operation is expected to be led by Yemeni forces under Riyadh's supervision, with support from Saudi airstrikes. As Defense News reports, citing Reuters, preparations for the operation are underway, and it is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Two offensive options
According to Reuters sources among officials from Gulf countries, Yemen and Western diplomats, Saudi Arabia is considering two scenarios. The first involves a limited offensive in the area of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern exit from the Red Sea. The second option includes simultaneous attacks on several fronts, including in the governorates of Al Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al Jawf.
The key objective of the operation is said to be an attempt to restore positions after the Houthis advanced along the Red Sea coast in September and took control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Depending on the scale of the operation, more than 100,000 Yemeni servicemen could be mobilized.
Reuters' sources did not name an exact date for the start of the offensive: their estimates range from the coming week to a period after the US midterm elections in early November. Representatives of the governments of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the Houthis, and the US military did not comment on these plans.
Support from partners and risks to infrastructure
According to one Western diplomat, the United States is providing Saudi Arabia with military advisers and intelligence, including targeting information for air operations in Yemen. At the same time, Riyadh's allies are not expected to participate directly in the fighting, according to the sources.
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According to Pakistani and regional officials, Pakistan sent four cargo aircraft to Aden in September carrying equipment including air defense systems, light artillery, drones and counter-drone equipment. Pakistani military advisers are also on the ground alongside their Saudi counterparts. Turkish drones previously purchased by Saudi Arabia are also being used over Yemen.
One of the main risks for Riyadh is considered to be possible Houthi drone and missile strikes on the kingdom's oil facilities and critical infrastructure. France announced its intention to send defense systems and military personnel to the Saudi Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The problem of Yemeni forces
The ground operation will depend on various Yemeni armed groups that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates armed and trained in the early stages of the civil war. Yemen analyst Mohammed Al-Basha noted that many anti-Houthi forces remain insufficiently organized and prepared for a prolonged offensive against the disciplined Houthi formations.
Yemeni forces also split last winter, when UAE-backed southern fighters attempted to seize territories in the east of the country and announced plans for secession. After a series of clashes, they were defeated by Saudi-backed forces.
