Saudi Arabia is preparing a possible offensive against Houthi forces in Yemen, with Yemeni troops expected to lead the ground campaign under Riyadh’s supervision and with Saudi air support, six people familiar with the preparations told Reuters. Depending on the operation’s scale, more than 100,000 Yemeni soldiers could be mobilized.

The reported objective is to reverse Houthi gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast in September and regain control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The timing remains uncertain: people familiar with the preparations gave estimates ranging from the week following October 3 to after the US midterm elections in early November.

Two options for the offensive

Gulf and Yemeni officials told Reuters that Saudi Arabia was weighing a focused operation around Bab el-Mandeb against a wider offensive involving coordinated attacks in Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. The choice would determine the size of the force needed.

Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and carries shipping between Asia and the Mediterranean. Its importance has grown as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed amid the conflict with Iran.

Western diplomats and a Gulf official said Riyadh considered renewed peace negotiations unworkable while the Houthis controlled Bab el-Mandeb, which gives the group influence over international trade.

Allies provide intelligence and equipment

A Western diplomat told Reuters that the United States was providing military advisers and intelligence, including targeting information, to support Saudi air operations in Yemen. Direct US participation in combat is not expected.

Pakistan and Turkey have also supplied military equipment. A Pakistani official said four transport aircraft delivered air-defence systems, light artillery, drones and counter-drone equipment to Aden in September. Pakistani advisers are working alongside Saudi counterparts, while Turkish drones previously purchased by Saudi Arabia have been deployed over Yemen, officials said.

Pakistan has stationed between 30,000 and 40,000 troops in Saudi Arabia to help protect its borders and intercept missiles and drones, a Pakistani official said. Islamabad has not decided to send those troops into Yemen to fight.

Regional officials said protecting Saudi oil facilities and other strategic infrastructure from Houthi missile and drone attacks was a major concern in preparations for an offensive.

Yemeni forces face readiness challenges

Any ground campaign would rely on Yemeni factions supported by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during earlier stages of the civil war. Divisions among those forces remain a factor in planning a broader operation.

Yemen analyst Mohammed Albasha said many anti-Houthi forces were not yet organized or prepared for the sustained offensive needed to push Houthi forces back.

Michael Ratney, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said he expected a narrowly focused campaign, ideally aimed at retaking coastal territory and restoring normal maritime traffic. That assessment remains separate from the options officials said Riyadh was considering.