Saudi Arabia may be planning sea, land assault on Houthis, Yemeni sources claim - report

Yemeni sources suggest Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a major offensive against the Houthis, involving both sea and potential land operations. This anticipated military action is reportedly intended to dismantle the Houthi control over vital oil shipping lanes in the Red Sea, a critical global trade artery.

The troop movements observed within Yemen point towards a possible assault on al-Bayda, a central southern governorate that fell under Houthi control between 2020 and 2021. This potential offensive comes as Saudi Arabia simultaneously announced the formation of a multinational maritime defense coalition.

This new coalition aims to bolster maritime security, ensure freedom of navigation, and safeguard international trade and energy supply routes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Representatives from 43 countries and the European Union attended a meeting discussing the coalition, with Saudi Arabia set to serve as its founding and leading state. While 14 countries, including Turkey and Pakistan, issued statements supporting the initiative, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were notably absent from this list.