Saudi Arabia may be planning sea, land assault on Houthis, Yemeni sources claim - report

Jerusalem Post/Middle EastAccording to the sources, the attack is intended to break the chokehold the Houthis currently have on oil shipping in the Red Sea.Follow us on GoogleA demonstrator holds up a mock missile as Houthi supporters rally against the Saudi-led coalition's restrictions on Houthi-controlled areas, which the group describes as a blockade, in Sanaa, Yemen, July 17, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)ByTZVI JASPER, REUTERSJULY 31, 2026 13:56Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major attack against the Houthis by sea and possibly over land, Yemeni sources told The Guardian on Thursday.According to the sources, the attack is intended to break the chokehold the Houthis currently have on oil shipping in the Red Sea.Troop movements within Yemen indicated that an attack could be made against al-Bayda, a governorate in central southern Yemen which was captured by the Houthis in 2020-21, the sources claimed.Saudi Arabia announces Red Sea defense coalitionAlso on Thursday, Saudi Arabia unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at protecting international shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region after attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis disrupted one of the world's busiest trade corridors.The Saudi defense ministry said representatives from 43 countries and the European Union attended an international meeting that discussed the proposed coalition, including Saudi Arabia serving as its founding and leading state and hosting its headquarters.Explosions take place on the deck of the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion on the Red Sea, in this handout picture released August 29, 2024. (credit: Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS)The ministry said the coalition would strengthen maritime security, safeguard freedom of navigation, secure international trade routes and energy supply lines, and protect shared maritime interests in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.It said 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, and Djibouti, issued a joint statement supporting the proposed coalition. Among the six Gulf Arab states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were not listed among the countries backing the statement.Follow us on Google