Saudi Arabia Prepares for Major Yemen Offensive Amid Oil Blockade

Saudi Arabia appears to be preparing for a major military operation in al-Bayda, a south-central Yemeni province controlled by the Houthis. The move comes as Riyadh seeks to break a blockade on its oil exports through the Red Sea, which has been imposed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis have also attacked ships and Saudi oil infrastructure in recent weeks, including against Aramco, the world's largest oil producer.

The Saudi Defense Ministry said that 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, and Djibouti, had issued a joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defense coalition. However, the Houthis have vowed to maintain their blockade unless Riyadh ends its own blockade of Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has been under pressure since Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, forcing oil tankers to take a longer and more expensive route through the Suez Canal. The Red Sea has become increasingly important for Saudi oil exports, with over half of its crude now being transported overland to loading terminals in the port city of Yanbu.

The conflict in Yemen began in 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the U.N.-recognized government against the Houthis. The war has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with a significant period of calm beginning in April 2022 under a U.N.-brokered ceasefire.