Saudis plan assault on Houthis to break Red Sea chokehold

Reuters reports that the operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will be led by Yemeni forces on the ground, which are overseen by Riyadh, and supported by Saudi air strikes, according to six people with knowledge of the preparations.[1]Gulf and Yemeni officials told Reuters that the Saudis are weighing either a narrowly focused attack on the area around Bab el-Mandeb or a broader offensive[1] with coordinated attacks in the governorates of Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf.[1] The same officials said more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilized in the offensive, depending on the scale[1].According to Reuters, Bab el-Mandeb has assumed even more importance this year as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by the Iran conflict.[1]Regional officials told Reuters that one of Riyadh's main worries is protecting its oil facilities from Houthi drone and missile attacks, and they said Riyadh has asked several allies for help with defensive systems.[1] A Pakistani official told the agency that Pakistan has deployed between 30,000 and 40,000 troops to Saudi Arabia[1]. The official also said Islamabad hasn't made any decision to send troops into Yemen in a fighting capacity[1]. In his words, it would ideally be "a fairly limited operation to retake coastal areas and get back to normal maritime traffic."[1]Reuters says spokespeople for the Saudi and Yemeni governments, the Houthi group and the US military didn't immediately respond to requests for comment[1].