Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces are preparing for a ground and air offensive against Houthi rebels in Yemen, with plans to execute the operation within weeks, Reuters reported on October 2.
According to Yonhap News on October 3, Reuters confirmed the plans through six regional and Western sources, stating that Yemeni government forces, under Saudi command, will lead the ground operations, supported by Saudi airstrikes.
Depending on the scale of the operation, more than 100,000 Yemeni government troops and allied militia could be mobilized.
The primary objective of the planned offensive is to reverse the rapid territorial gains made by the Houthi rebels last month, when they advanced along the coast and seized control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, sources said.
Reuters also reported that Saudi Arabia is considering two main attack strategies: a limited offensive focused on the Bab el-Mandeb area and a multi-front assault involving simultaneous attacks in Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al-Jawf provinces.
Michael Ratney, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Reuters that the offensive is likely to focus on limited areas. He stated, "Saudi Arabia would want to completely defeat the Houthis, but it is also necessary for them to return to the status quo before the Houthis took control of the Bab el-Mandeb coastal area. Ideally, it would be a fairly limited operation to retake coastal areas and restore normal maritime traffic."
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is the southern exit of the Red Sea and a crucial route connecting the Mediterranean and Asia. Its importance has increased as an alternative route since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed due to the Iran conflict.
However, the exact timing for the start of the Saudi and Yemeni government forces' offensive against the Houthis remains unclear.
After the Houthis seized the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, in 2014, a Saudi-led coalition began military intervention in 2015 under the pretext of supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
Although a ceasefire was brokered by the United Nations in 2022, the Yemeni civil war, which had been in a lull, has recently escalated again, raising concerns about civilian casualties and disruptions to maritime transport.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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