Illustrative image. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a major offensive against the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen, by sea and possibly including a ground operation, The Guardian reported on July 30.
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 operation.
The report came right 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 waterway — a narrow 20-nautical-mile chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula — funnels an estimated 10 percent of the world’s seaborne oil trade and vital container shipping between Asia and Europe, making it one of the planet’s most strategically vital, and volatile, maritime corridors.
The Saudi-led alliance includes Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey and Yemen. The Saudis have also asked the United States, as well as several European countries, to join the alliance.
The escalation between the two sides began on July 20, when the Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, framing it as retaliation for the kingdom’s siege on Yemen. Three days later, the group fired on two Saudi oil tankers, setting one ablaze.
Overnight into July 25, the two sides traded strikes, with the Houthis hitting a major refinery in Jizan province in southern Saudi Arabia.
Later on July 27, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on the Abqaiq oil processing plant in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province — though Riyadh instead pointed the finger at Iran-backed factions operating out of Iraq. A second attack struck the same province the following day. The Houthis did not claim responsibility for it, but they did announce a separate attack on another tanker off the kingdom’s Red Sea coast.
The Guardian’s latest report indicates that any ground operation against the Houthis will not be led by the Saudi military, but rather by Yemeni government forces backed by the kingdom. These forces battled the Houthis for years before the United Nations brokered a ceasefire around six years ago, and even with air support from the Saudi-led coalition, they lost nearly all of their battles.
A new ground operation will likely end up playing in favor of the Houthis, who are far more experienced and ideological. The operation could also provoke a retaliatory campaign against Saudi Arabia, involving strikes not just from Yemen, but also possibly from Iraq and Iran itself.
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the house of saud will fail.
houthi reign the arabian peninsula
watch out, houthis! the mighty jordanian navy is on the way! if only there was a coalition of the willing to protect gaza from the joo genocide. but no, all the sunni quislings are too busy showering trumpy with gold and diamonds and luxury jets and doing deals with kushner. but supporting us aggression now comes with a cost, if you value your economy and infrastructure. and iran and the houthis will match blow for blow till hell freezes over.
a monarquia dos al saud acha que pode🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
the houthis days are numbered
the houthis are mean mofas. they will give a good bitch slapping to anyone who needs it – chumpo, jooz, mbs, anybody.
one houtis equals ten studies
at the moment only shady wahabia is banned from the red sea. if any of the other gulf quislings or the eu muppets join in attacks on yemen, they will be banned as well. the houthis say bring it on. they kicked trump’s ass when he tried to throw his weight about before. so i don’t give much for shady wahabia’s chances if push comes to shove. mohammed bin salman should stick to his epstein paedo orgies.
all the zionist slave are coming toghter to fight yemenis . today they have shown real face . this country who call themselve islamic country are all hypocrite muslim ,and slave of west . they all have muslim blood on thier hands . iran and its allies should warn this hypocrite if they attacked yemen we will get invloved . let yemini deal with saudi alone one on one .
eu acho que a religião muçulmana é um lixo. falam tanto no alcorão em combater os inimigos e eles se juntam em defesa de quem é inimigo deles. durante a guerra de gaza ano passado, onde estava o povo saudita nas ruas protestando contra israel? nenhum protesto, nada. essa religião é uma porcaria.
the house of saud has been disrupted and captured. who truly knows the real rulers of saudi arabia? the prince could be prisoner of ?
the saudis tried previously to sort out the houthis! well well well, the saudi military had their backsides handed to them the last time they tried! as for the americans you have to laugh! from marines starving on board ships, to the dead americans being hidden throughout the middle east!
the c17 medical flights to germany lacking staff and equipment! so many injured sons and daughters of american parents…… you deserve everything happening to your families! corruption lies and deceit, from each and everyone, be it politician, be it bankers, or media or police senators congressmen civil servants! if their lips move they are lying!
hit those refineries lets see what ten dollar a gallon of gas does
the globalists will sacrifice anything to control all energy to china and more. to them, all humans are cattle to rule. financial feudalist mafias. and must you serve this.
saudi arabia stumbling into a quagmire.
shady wahabia is trying to form a coalition of the quislings, a coalition of zionist bootlickers. good luck with that.
pega fogo cabaré…..