Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major military offensive against the Houthis by sea and possibly by land in central Yemen, according to Yemeni sources cited by the Guardian. The reported goal is to break what Riyadh sees as a chokehold on its oil exports through the southern Red Sea.

The Guardian reports that Saudi forces have been seen withdrawing from the east of Yemen, a movement that sources suggest could be preparation for a land offensive. Such repositioning is being read as a possible precursor to a broader military campaign.

At the same time, Riyadh is reported to be trying to organise a naval coalition to protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait, a narrow but strategically vital waterway for global maritime trade.

The Bab al-Mandab strait and the southern Red Sea are key routes for the movement of oil and other goods, and disruptions there can affect shipping and energy flows well beyond the region.

The reported plans, as described by the Guardian, remain based on the assessments of Yemeni sources rather than official confirmation from Saudi Arabia. The scale, timing and precise nature of any offensive were not detailed in the report.

Both the naval coalition effort and the possibility of a land component point to a potentially significant escalation, though the source material does not specify when or whether such operations would begin.