Saudi Arabia Prepares Major Offensive to Break Houthi Oil Blockade

The Government of Saudi Arabia is preparing a major military offensive against Houthi forces in Yemen to end a blockade of Saudi oil exports moving through the southern Red Sea. This escalation follows the breakdown of a truce held since 2022, triggered in July 2026 after Houthis claimed Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa airport. In response, the Houthis launched missiles at the tanker NCC Ghazal, blocked Saudi-linked vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and attacked Aramco facilities, forcing a shutdown at the Jazan production site.

Saudi Arabia has responded with strikes on Houthi targets, including the port of Hodeidah, and joined U.S. forces in attacking Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. These developments are critical as Saudi Arabia currently relies on the Red Sea to circumvent an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

To secure international shipping, the Saudi Foreign Ministry is establishing a multinational maritime defense coalition with support from 14 countries, including Turkey and Pakistan. Simultaneously, Saudi forces have begun withdrawing from eastern Yemen to prepare for a ground-based operation, with reports suggesting a major naval and land offensive potentially targeting the al-Bayda governorate and other areas of central Yemen.