Saudi Arabia Mulls Limited or Broad Assault to Reclaim Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Saudi officials are weighing a limited or larger-scale military operation to retake the Bab el-Mandeb strait from Iran-backed Houthi forces, with Saudi-backed Yemeni troops and U.S. intelligence support.
Saudi Arabia is preparing a possible offensive to regain control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, which the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels seized last month. Riyadh is considering two options: a narrow assault to recapture coastal areas around the strait, or a broader, coordinated push covering Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf, potentially mobilising over 100,000 Yemeni troops. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces would conduct ground operations while Saudi airstrikes, guided by U.S. intelligence, target Houthi positions.
Allies such as Pakistan, Turkey and France are providing defensive systems, but are not slated for direct combat. The move aims to restore vital Red Sea shipping lanes and reduce Houthi missile and drone threats to Saudi infrastructure. Timing estimates range from a week to post-U.S. midterm elections, and experts warn the success will hinge on the cohesion of fragmented anti-Houthi militias.
Why it matters
Control of Bab el-Mandeb affects global shipping and regional security, and a Saudi offensive could reshape the Yemen conflict.
How this story developed
- Sep 11 Renewed Yemen fighting forces over 46,000 people from their homes
- Sep 14 In a post on X, the European Commission President condemned the Houthi assault on Saudi and American military sites, calling it an act of aggression. She stressed that the EU will continue cooperating with Gulf partners to ensure secure, free shipping through the Hormuz Strait. The statement also highlighted the broader goal of Middle-East stability, which the EU views as a shared interest. The Houthi group claimed to have launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, citing retaliation for Saudi air strikes in Yemen. Saudi officials responded by ordering air patrols in several southern regions.
- Sep 14 The displacement figure has risen to nearly 86,000.
- Sep 15 Houthi forces reported seizing the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands.
- Sep 15 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi in Cairo to discuss Red Sea navigation and retaliation against the Houthis.
- Sep 16 Saudi civil defense issued emergency shelter warnings for Jeddah, Mecca and Taif.
- Sep 16 Saudi coalition announced a drone it said was Houthi‑linked was heading toward Mecca and triggered a brief security alert.
- Sep 18 Since the earlier report of 86,000 displaced, the UN now says over 112,000 have been forced from their homes.
- Sep 22 UN agencies warned that displacement could rise to over 230,000 if the fighting continues.
- Sep 25 Trump publicly voiced support for Saudi self‑reliance against Houthi attacks.
- Sep 27 Government forces launched intensified air and ground attacks in Taiz province.
- Sep 27 France announced a military mission to Saudi Arabia.
- Oct 2 Saudi Arabia has moved from planning to actively preparing a large‑scale offensive to retake the Bab el‑Mandeb strait.
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