Saudi Arabia, July 31 : Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing a large scale military campaign against Yemen’s Houthi movement as tensions across West Asia continue to rise, with the Red Sea emerging as a critical flashpoint for global energy supplies and maritime security.
According to a report by The Guardian, Saudi forces have been withdrawing from eastern Yemen, a move that analysts believe could signal preparations for a broader ground operation. Alongside possible land action, Riyadh is also working to strengthen naval security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait to counter attacks targeting commercial shipping.
The developments come after the Houthis announced on July 20 that they were enforcing a blockade on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. The Iran backed group, which controls Yemen’s capital Sana’a and much of the country’s western coastline, has denied reports that it intends to impose transit fees on all ships passing through the strategic waterway.
Multinational Maritime Coalition Gains Support
Saudi Arabia has stepped up diplomatic efforts to build an international coalition aimed at protecting maritime trade routes. On Thursday, the Saudi Defence Ministry announced that 14 countries including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti—had issued a joint declaration backing a multinational naval security initiative.
Riyadh has also urged the United States and several European nations, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy, to join the proposed maritime alliance. The effort comes even as the European Union continues its existing naval mission, Aspides, in the Red Sea to safeguard commercial shipping.
Oil Export Routes Under Pressure
The dispute has intensified concerns over Saudi Arabia’s energy exports. On July 25, Houthi forces claimed responsibility for striking sensitive oil transportation facilities linking oilfields in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province to export terminals on the Red Sea coast.
Any prolonged disruption in the Red Sea could significantly affect the kingdom’s oil trade. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz already facing uncertainty due to regional tensions, Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on its western export infrastructure to move crude to international markets.
Before the recent conflict involving Iran, nearly 80 per cent of Saudi crude exports passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Since then, overland pipelines leading to the Red Sea port of Yanbu have become increasingly important, making the security of the Red Sea corridor a strategic priority for Riyadh.
Houthis Link Blockade to Yemen Conflict
The Houthis have maintained that the blockade will remain in place until Saudi Arabia lifts restrictions imposed on Yemen, framing the dispute as part of the broader Yemeni conflict rather than a direct confrontation with Iran.
Saudi Arabia entered Yemen’s civil war in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government against Houthi rebels. More than a decade later, renewed military activity and rising maritime tensions threaten to widen the conflict, raising concerns over regional stability, global trade and energy security.