According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia has been making plans to launch a military attack on Houthi fighters supported by Iran in Yemen. This move would allow the Kingdom to take control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
The planned attack may commence within the next few weeks, but the timing and scale of the attack remain uncertain. Yemeni soldiers, operating under Saudi Arabia’s guidance, would spearhead the attack from the land with the help of aerial forces from Saudi Arabia. In the case of a massive attack, 100,000 Yemeni soldiers would join the fight.
Bab el-Mandeb strait is a key passageway that connects Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Its importance has risen due to the closing down of the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing regional war. The Kingdom believes that there would be no peace talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis until the strait is controlled.
Saudi Arabia-Houthi Tensions: Riyadh Considers Two Offensive Plans
Two military plans have been considered by the country as options. One will see a limited mission that involves attacking coastal areas near Bab el-Mandeb to move the Houthis from the area and allow maritime traffic to resume.
The other option is to conduct a wider plan, involving joint attacks on the areas of al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and al-Jawf. There are claims that the military plans could begin in a few days to just after the US midterm elections in early November.
The Houthi militia group recently captured the ports of Mokha and the island of Perim in the strait.
“It would ideally be a fairly limited operation to take back the coastal areas and resume normal maritime traffic,” Michael Ratney, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, was quoted as saying.
Saudi Arabia-Houthi Tensions: Pakistan, Türkiye Provide Military Support
Turkey and Pakistan are supporting Saudi Arabia militarily, as preparations are ongoing. The Turkish drones purchased earlier by Riyadh are believed to be flown over Yemen.
Pakistan dispatched four cargo planes equipped with air defense systems, light artillery, drones, and anti-drone systems to Aden while the Pakistani military advisers are present, according to Reuters sources.
Pakistan has about 30,000-40,000 troops deployed in Saudi Arabia but has yet to decide on dispatching its troops to Yemen in a combat capacity, said a Pakistani official.
The US is assisting Saudi Arabia through intelligence and targeting information, although the country is yet to comply with Saudi demands for air strikes on the Houthis. France has promised to deliver defensive systems and troops to defend the Saudi port of Yanbu.
Additionally, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar disclosed that the Strategic Political Defense Committee under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement would convene “very soon” in Riyadh. The committee comprises the foreign, defence and military chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.
The gathering is supposed to look at the regional situation as well as reactions to the Houthi threat, as Saudi Arabia contemplates military engagement to re-open the Bab el-Mandeb waterway.
