Saudis said to gear up for ground invasion against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, by sea and possibly including a ground operation, The Guardian reported Thursday.

According to the report, which cited Yemeni sources, Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen, in what could indicate preparation for a ground attack.

The report came after the Saudi defense ministry issued a joint statement with 13 other countries announcing a maritime defense alliance to secure navigation around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The alliance includes Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey and Yemen. The Saudis have also asked the US, as well as several European countries, to join the alliance.

Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire earlier this month for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring.

On July 20, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, opening a new front against the US and its allies in the Iran war, which has already constrained global shipping due to Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iran-backed group has claimed attacks targeting Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and oil infrastructure in the kingdom.

Sailing through Bab el-Mandeb to Asia takes on average 16 days, versus 50 days if cargoes are rerouted through the northern Red Sea, through the Suez Canal and then via southern Africa.

Closure of the strait would deprive Saudi Arabia of a critical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz and heighten fears of oil supply shortages.

Red Sea traffic has still not fully recovered from the Houthis’ attacks on ships beginning in November 2023, in support of the Hamas terror group in its war against Israel. The Yemeni group’s strikes only ended with the Gaza ceasefire last October.

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