Saudi Arabia weighs offensive against Houthis in Yemen

Saudi Arabia is weighing a military offensive against Houthi forces in Yemen, with options ranging from an operation near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to a broader campaign across several fronts, according to regional and Western officials cited in reports. No launch has been confirmed, and the plan’s scope and timing remain uncertain. The operation under consideration would be led by Yemeni forces on the ground, overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi airstrikes, officials said. One option would focus on the coastal area around Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. A broader plan could include coordinated attacks in Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. Officials said more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilized, depending on the operation’s scale. That figure is a possible force size, not a confirmed deployment. Six people familiar with preparations offered estimates ranging from a launch within a week to after the U.S. midterm elections in early November, but provided no precise date. The reported objective is to reverse Houthi territorial gains along the coast and regain control of the area around Bab el-Mandeb.