Saudi Arabia preparing possible offensive against Yemen's Houthis, Reuters report says

Saudi Arabia is preparing for a possible military offensive against the Houthis in Yemen, according to a Reuters report carried by Daily Sabah and referenced by RT. The report cites anonymous Gulf and Yemeni officials and Western diplomats. Both outlets credit the same Reuters report, so the account has a single origin. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any on-the-record confirmation from the Saudi government.

According to the officials, Riyadh is considering two main options. One is a focused assault around the Bab el-Mandeb strait to restore control of coastal areas. The other is a much larger coordinated campaign across several parts of Yemen, including Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf.

Six people familiar with the preparations said the operation could begin in the coming weeks, according to the report. Their estimates ranged from within a week to after the U.S. midterm elections in early November. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces would lead on the ground, supported by Saudi airstrikes. The officials said more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilised.

The report says the Houthis seized control of Bab el-Mandeb last month after advancing down Yemen's western coast. It says a truce reached in 2022 largely held until this year.

Reported foreign support

The United States is providing intelligence, including targeting information, the people said. They said Saudi allies are not expected to take a direct combat role. The report adds that Reuters previously reported that President Donald Trump rejected Saudi requests for direct U.S. military support.

A Pakistani official said Pakistan has deployed between 30,000 and 40,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to help protect its borders. A Pakistani government official said four cargo aircraft carried equipment to Aden last month. The officials said Turkish drones bought by Saudi Arabia have been deployed over Yemen. The Pakistani and Turkish defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment, the report says. It also says France has announced plans to send defensive systems and troops to protect the port city of Yanbu.

What is disputed

The two outlets frame the scale differently. Daily Sabah's text describes a "possible" offensive with no choice yet made between the two options. RT's headline says Saudi Arabia is "preparing massive Yemen offensive". Only RT's headline was available, and both cite the same Reuters report.

What each side says

• Michael Ratney, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, was quoted in the report as expecting "it would be a fairly limited operation to retake coastal areas and get back to normal maritime traffic".
• Yemen analyst Mohammed Albasha was quoted as saying: "Many anti-Houthi forces are still not organised or prepared for the kind of sustained offensive required to push back a disciplined Houthi military force".
• An unnamed Pakistani official said Pakistan has not decided to send troops into Yemen in a combat role.
• Western diplomats and a Gulf official said Saudi Arabia has concluded it cannot return to peace talks while the Houthis control Bab el-Mandeb. Riyadh is not quoted directly.

The reports do not include any response from the Houthis, Iran, Yemen's internationally recognised government or the U.S. government.

Analysis

The account rests on one Reuters report and anonymous officials, so it should be treated with caution. If the description is accurate, the choice between a limited coastal operation and a multi-front campaign would shape the risks. A narrower operation might focus on reopening access to the strait, while a broader one could depend more heavily on anti-Houthi forces that the report describes as fragmented. The wide range of timing estimates suggests no final decision may have been taken, and it is also possible that no offensive follows. Shipping through Bab el-Mandeb and the prospects for renewed peace talks are the main areas that could be affected.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.