Saudi Arabia Plans to Mobilize Over 100,000 Yemeni Soldiers to Attack Houthis, Targeting the Red Sea Chokepoint
nashnova research
Saudi Arabia is preparing a military offensive against Yemen's Houthi forces to recapture the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea's critical shipping chokepoint; the operation could launch within weeks, and if both major maritime chokepoints come under pressure simultaneously, global energy and shipping supply risks will escalate sharply.
What exactly is Saudi Arabia targeting?
The core objective is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, a mandatory passage for global shipping.
Riyadh is weighing two plans: a focused strike on the coastal areas near the strait, or a broader multi-front offensive across Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al-Jawf.
The larger option would put more than 100,000 Yemeni ground troops into action, with Saudi air support.
This means → Saudi Arabia is betting on "open the strait first, negotiate later" — without control of the waterway, it sees no leverage for peace talks.
Where does the United States stand?
The U.S. will not fight directly but has provided intelligence and targeting data to Saudi Arabia.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump multiple times requesting direct American strikes on the Houthis. Each request was refused.
In plain terms = Washington supplies the maps and coordinates but will not pull the trigger — the risk stays with Riyadh.
Who else is involved?
Pakistan has shipped air-defense systems, light artillery, drones, and counter-drone equipment to Aden; Pakistani military advisers are already coordinating with Saudi personnel.
Turkish drones have been deployed over Yemeni airspace.
France announced it will supply defense systems and personnel to help protect the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
This reflects a broader pattern: this is no longer a Saudi solo operation — it is a multi-nation patchwork intervention.
Can they win?
Reuters notes that anti-Houthi forces in Yemen are fragmented, while the Houthis maintain a tighter, more disciplined military structure.
Riyadh's logic: as long as the Houthis control the strait, peace negotiations cannot move forward — the battlefield balance must shift first.
In plain terms = troop numbers do not equal fighting power — 100,000 scattered forces facing a tightly organized armed group leaves the outcome far from certain.
What does this mean for global shipping and energy?
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is the critical link between the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean.
With the Strait of Hormuz already under sustained pressure, Bab el-Mandeb's strategic importance has risen further.
This means → if both major shipping chokepoints are seriously disrupted at the same time, supply risks for global energy and shipping markets will escalate sharply — whether the Red Sea shipping risk premium narrows or widens now hinges on the outcome of this military campaign.
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