Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces are preparing a major counteroffensive against Iran-backed Houthis in the coming days, according to two U.S. officials. The operation aims to push the Houthis away from Red Sea coastal areas that control the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.
This marks the second time in recent weeks that the United States has rebuffed Saudi requests to participate in the operation through airstrikes. However, U.S. officials indicated that this stance could shift if the operation encounters difficulties.
The Strait of Bab al-Mandeb serves as a critical artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports. Control of this waterway provides the Houthis and their Iranian backer with significant leverage over the United States, its Gulf allies, and the global economy.
In recent weeks, Houthi forces seized key areas along the southern Red Sea coast that command the strait. They also intensified missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, prompting Saudi retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi targets.
A U.S. official stated that Saudi leadership approved plans for the operation several days ago after weeks of preparation. The planned operation will involve ground forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government, supported by Saudi air cover.
On Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid Bin Salman called U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to brief him on the planned operation and request U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets, according to a U.S. official. That official said the United States "is not going to take kinetic action for now."
Last week, President Donald Trump was close to ordering a strike on the Houthis following a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but ultimately decided to hold off. A U.S. official described Trump as caught between wanting to support his ally MBS and avoiding entanglement in a new Middle Eastern front.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also had serious reservations about launching strikes in Yemen, viewing it as a distraction from its focus on Iran, according to a U.S. official.
U.S. officials said the military is assisting the Saudis with everything short of direct combat, primarily by providing intelligence and targeting data. One official noted that in the last two weeks, the U.S. military provided the Saudis with more than 200 Houthi targets to strike. That official said these strikes significantly increased pressure on the Houthis.