Saudi plans military push in Yemen to wrest Bab el-Mandeb from Houthi control  

A high-stakes military offensive is taking shape as Saudi Arabia prepares a coordinated assault in Yemen to reclaim the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait from Iran-aligned Houthi militants, according to regional officials and Western diplomats.

The planned campaign aims to shatter a tight maritime grip that has severely disrupted global shipping lanes and restricted movement through one of the world's most vital energy corridors.

The military blueprint follows a rapid surge by Houthi forces along Yemen’s coastline, culminative in the capture of key positions flanking the maritime chokepoint.

In response, Saudi strategists are weighing two distinct operational paths: a tightly targeted surge centered strictly around the Bab el-Mandeb strait, or a synchronized, multi-front offensive designed to hit Houthi strongholds simultaneously across the governorates of Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al-Jawf.

The ground effort is set to be spearheaded by more than 100,000 Yemeni troops operating under Saudi direction, heavily reinforced by Saudi air power. While Washington has declined requests for direct combat engagement, US forces are supplying critical intelligence and targeting data to bolster Saudi air operations.

Regional coalition partners are also actively reinforcing the effort: Pakistan has dispatched military advisers alongside air defense equipment, light artillery, and anti-drone systems to Aden, while Turkish-manufactured combat drones have been integrated into aerial surveillance and strike missions over Yemen.

Riyadh’s diplomatic shift reflects a crucial realization among Saudi leadership: peaceful negotiations with the Houthis are untenable while the group maintains a functional blockade over the Red Sea. Re-establishing control over coastal trade corridors has become an absolute security necessity for the kingdom and its international trade partners.

"As much as they want to vanquish the Houthis completely, they also need to get back to status quo ante before Houthis controlled territory along Bab el-Mandeb," said a senior Western diplomat familiar with the plans. "Ideally, it would be a fairly limited operation to retake coastal areas and get back to normal maritime traffic."

Despite the coalition's momentum, serious strategic vulnerabilities persist. Saudi Arabia remains deeply concerned over potential retaliatory Houthi drone and missile strikes targeting its internal oil facilities and critical infrastructure, prompting active consultations with international partners for supplemental defensive shield systems.

Furthermore, defense analysts warn that the offensive's ultimate outcome hinges heavily on whether fractured Yemeni ground factions can maintain operational cohesion once the assault begins.