SAUDI ARABIA PLANS OFFENSIVE AGAINST HOUTHIS AMID RED SEA TENSIONS
Saudi Arabia is preparing for a possible military offensive against Yemen’s Houthi forces as tensions around the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait continue to intensify. According to officials familiar with the preparations, Riyadh is considering military options that could involve Yemeni forces supported by Saudi air power. The operation could focus on the coastal area around Bab el-Mandeb or expand into several parts of Yemen. The plans come after Houthi forces made significant territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and took control of the Bab el-Mandeb area, a crucial maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. BAB EL-MANDEB AT THE CENTER OF THE DISPUTE The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world's important shipping routes. It provides a maritime connection between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, linking trade between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Its strategic importance has increased ami...