Saudi Arabia Prepares 100,000-Troop Offensive to Retake Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Houthis

Saudi Arabia is mobilizing a massive military response to reclaim the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, preparing an offensive that could involve more than 100,000 Yemeni ground troops backed by Saudi air power. The operation aims to push Iran-aligned Houthi forces out of the strategic Red Sea coastal areas they seized last month.[1][2][3]

Riyadh is reportedly weighing two distinct operational scenarios for the campaign, which was approved by the Saudi leadership in recent days. The first option focuses on a limited, concentrated coastal assault designed specifically to secure the strait and restore commercial maritime traffic.[1][3]

The second option envisions a broader, synchronized campaign across multiple fronts, including the Al Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al Jawf provinces. Under either scenario, the ground campaign would be executed by Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, with the Royal Saudi Air Force providing continuous air cover.[3][4]

Washington Declines Direct Combat Role

Despite direct requests from Riyadh, the United States has refused to join the offensive in a combat capacity. On October 1, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman briefed U.S. officials on the planned operation and requested American airstrikes against Houthi positions.[1]

Washington rejected the appeal, marking the second time in recent weeks the administration has declined to conduct direct kinetic strikes in support of the Saudi campaign. U.S. officials stated that the immediate priority is avoiding direct entanglement in another Middle Eastern ground war.[1]

"The US will not take kinetic action for now," a U.S. official told Axios, outlining Washington's current posture.[1]

While avoiding combat, the U.S. military is heavily involved in the planning and intelligence phases. American personnel are providing the Saudi military with critical surveillance and targeting data, reportedly identifying more than 200 specific Houthi targets over the past two weeks.[1]

U.S. officials have indicated that Washington's posture could shift if the Saudi-led operation encounters severe difficulties or if the Houthis threaten broader regional stability, but the current directive limits support to non-kinetic assistance.[1]

A Sharp Escalation in Aerial Bombardment

The preparations for a ground war follow a severe spike in cross-border violence and aerial bombardment. Over a single 24-hour period this week, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed Saudi warplanes launched 94 airstrikes across Yemen.[7]

The attacks, utilizing fighter jets and precision missiles, reportedly hit sites in the capital Sana'a, as well as the Saada, Taiz, Hajjah, Amran, and Al Bayda governorates.[7]

Houthi officials allege the bombardment targeted civilian infrastructure, including bridges, and resulted in numerous casualties. They claim the total number of Saudi strikes since the recent escalation began has reached 1,350.[7]

"Civilian bridges are not used for military purposes," a Sana'a military source stated regarding the airstrikes, calling the Saudi targeting practices "utter bankruptcy."[7]

Saudi sources maintain they are strictly targeting Houthi missile launch platforms, drone facilities, and military assets used to threaten the kingdom. Riyadh recently reported that a Houthi projectile damaged a school in the southern Saudi city of Najran, near the Yemeni border.[1][7]

The Battle for the Maritime Chokepoint

The immediate catalyst for the planned offensive was the Houthis' rapid advance down the Red Sea coast in September. The militia successfully captured Perim Island—a 13-square-kilometer landmass that splits the strait into two channels—and the mainland coastal town of Dhubab.[1][2]

That maneuver gave the Houthi movement physical control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, effectively allowing them to dictate terms of passage. In response, the group announced a naval blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, escalating the economic threat to Riyadh.[2]

The waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, serving as the southern gateway for shipping between Asia and the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Approximately 7 percent of global seaborne oil output passes through the strait, making it a critical artery for international energy markets.[2]

With the Strait of Hormuz already compromised by wider regional conflicts involving Iran, securing Bab el-Mandeb has become an urgent economic and security priority. Western diplomats note that Saudi Arabia views peace negotiations as impossible while the Houthis hold the strait.[2][3]

The Challenge of Ground Coordination

The current escalation shatters a fragile status quo that had largely held since a 2022 truce reduced the intensity of Yemen's civil war. Tensions reignited in July 2026 following an incident at Sana'a airport, prompting renewed Houthi missile attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure.[1][2]

The timing of the ground assault remains fluid, with estimates ranging from the coming days to early November. The delay reflects the logistical challenge of assembling and coordinating a massive proxy force of 100,000 troops.[3]

The ground component will depend heavily on disparate Yemeni factions armed and trained by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the past decade.[3][4]

Analysts warn that these anti-Houthi forces remain politically divided and have previously clashed with one another. Their ability to sustain a unified, major offensive against entrenched Houthi positions remains the operation's most significant vulnerability.[4]