Saudi Arabia prepares 100,000 Yemeni troops for Houthi assault on Bab el-Mandeb

Saudi Arabia is preparing an offensive against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, weighing a limited coastal assault around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait or a broader multi-front operation, with more than 100,000 Yemeni troops potentially mobilized. The immediate objective is to reverse Houthi gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including seizure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route. The offensive would be led by Yemeni forces with Saudi air support, though timing remains uncertain, ranging from within a week to after US midterm elections. Riyadh faces challenges from fragmented Yemeni forces with competing interests, while allies like the US, Pakistan, and Turkey provide intelligence, equipment, and defensive support rather than direct combat troops.