Saudi Arabia Prepares Large-Scale Land and Sea Offensive Against Yemen's Houthi Rebels

Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a significant military operation against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, involving both naval maneuvers and a potential large-scale ground assault in central Yemen, according to Yemeni sources cited by the British newspaper The Guardian. The Saudi objective is to break the Houthi blockade on oil export routes in the southern Red Sea. Saudi forces have reportedly withdrawn from eastern Yemen and are regrouping for a possible offensive in Al-Bayda province, which the Houthis captured between 2020 and 2021.

In parallel with ground preparations, Riyadh is forming an international naval coalition to secure shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, and Djibouti, have signed a joint declaration supporting the coalition's establishment. Saudi Arabia has also reached out to the United States and leading European nations such as the UK, France, Germany, and Italy to join the initiative.

This Saudi move follows a Houthi declaration on July 20 of a maritime blockade against Saudi vessels and recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities linking eastern oil fields to the Yanbu port on the Red Sea, as well as damage to a third Saudi commercial ship in the area. The Red Sea route has become critically important for Saudi oil exports after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled about 80% of Saudi crude exports. Currently, over half of Saudi oil is transported overland to Red Sea ports, making any blockade there a severe economic threat.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held urgent talks in Washington with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance to discuss further steps. Riyadh emphasized its determination to protect its oil industry and sovereignty while avoiding escalation that could lead to a full-scale war with Iran, preferring diplomatic solutions. Concurrently, Oman is mediating talks with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Prince Khalid conveyed to Vance that Saudi Arabia's stance differs from Israel's, with Riyadh seeking de-escalation rather than military confrontation with Iran. He stressed that recent joint U.S.-Saudi strikes against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq were necessary responses to drone attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and served as a deterrent against Houthi threats in the Red Sea. The prince also stated that Saudi Arabia is capable of handling the Houthi threat independently and is engaged in direct negotiations with the rebels. The U.S. Vice President's office declined to comment on the meeting details.