The situation in the Middle East has taken a sudden turn for the worse. Recently, several foreign media reported that Saudi Arabia is preparing to counterattack the Houthi movement in Yemen.
According to a report by US media Axios on October 3, two American officials said that Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces plan to launch a large-scale counterattack against the Houla forces in the coming days, aiming to drive the Houla out of the Red Sea coastal areas controlled by them near the Gulf of Aden.
In recent weeks, the United States has rejected two requests to participate in this military operation and conduct air strikes. “The United States will not take any military action at this time.” However, U.S. officials said that the situation could change if there are problems with the operation.
Maldive Islands
The Strait of Mandeb is an important route for global trade and Saudi oil exports. American media claim that control of the Strait of Mandeb would give the Houla militant group and their Iranian supporters a powerful new tool to influence relations with the United States, its Gulf allies, and the world economy.
In recent weeks, the Houla armed group has taken control of key areas along the southern coast of the Red Sea, which are crucial for controlling the Strait of Mandeb. They have also increased their missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia. In response, the Saudi side has carried out air strikes to retaliate against the Houla armed group’s targets.
A US official stated that Saudi Arabia had planned this operation for several weeks, and the plan was approved by the Saudi leadership several days ago.
According to reports, this operation will involve ground forces from the Yemeni government, with Saudi Arabia providing air support. Reuters previously reported that more than 100,000 Yemeni ground troops could be mobilized.
A U.S. official said that on Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Talabani called U.S. Defense Secretary Hagel to briefly introduce the planned actions and once again request U.S. air strikes against Houthi targets.
A US official stated that the US "will not take military action at present."
Last week, at the request of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed, U.S. President Trump nearly ordered an attack against the Houthi forces, but decided to postpone the action.
Axios believes that Trump is in a dilemma: he wants to help his friends and allies, but at the same time, he wants to avoid getting involved in new conflicts in the Middle East.
Another American official stated that the U.S. Central Command also has serious reservations about launching attacks in Yemen, believing that this would divert attention from Iran. The U.S. officials said that the U.S. military is helping Saudi Arabia with all activities other than direct combat, mainly involving intelligence and target data.
Additionally, U.S. officials stated that over the past two weeks, the U.S. military has provided Saudi Arabia with more than 200 Houthi targets for attack. The official noted that these attacks have significantly increased the pressure on the Houthi forces.
