Saudi Arabia is preparing for major action against Houthi rebels (Photo: X@sentdefender)

Saudi Arabia is preparing a major military operation against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to a report by the international news agency Reuters. The main aim of the operation is to regain control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the coastal areas around it. Sources familiar with the preparations said more than 1 lakh Yemeni fighters could take part in the operation, with direct air support from the Saudi Air Force.

Operation aims to end Houthi control of Bab el-Mandeb

The operation is meant to reverse the gains made by the Houthi rebels on the Red Sea coast last month. The Houthis recently advanced rapidly and captured the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The waterway is a vital route for global maritime trade between the Mediterranean Sea and Asia. With the Strait of Hormuz affected by the conflict, the importance of this alternative route for international trade and oil supplies has grown considerably.

Michael Ratney, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Reuters that the scope of this operation could be limited compared with the 2015 intervention. Its main purpose would be to take back coastal areas and restore normal maritime movement, rather than to defeat the Houthi rebels across Yemen.

Fragmented ground forces; US providing intelligence

The biggest challenge facing Riyadh is the divided state of the ground forces. The forces fighting the Houthi rebels are not a single, unified national army. They are separate factions funded by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and each has its own regional and political interests.

Meanwhile, the United States, Saudi Arabia's main ally, has stayed away from direct military involvement. According to the Reuters report, President Donald Trump had turned down Saudi requests for direct US military action and airstrikes. However, the US is providing military advisers, intelligence and targeting information to support Saudi operations.

Pakistan and Türkiye's role under Mecca Joint Defence Agreement

To strengthen Saudi Arabia's security, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement" on 7 August. Under it, an attack on any one of them will be treated as an attack on all. Pakistan, however, has refrained from sending combat troops directly to Yemen. Instead, Islamabad has provided air defence systems, light artillery and anti-drone equipment, while 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani troops are deployed in Saudi Arabia for border security and intercepting missiles.

Türkiye is also providing drones and military equipment, while France has deployed defence systems to protect the Saudi port of Yanbu. Given the seriousness of the situation, the military chiefs of the three countries met on 25 September. According to Pakistan's foreign minister, an emergency trilateral meeting is to be held in Riyadh next week.