Saudi Arabia planning attack against Houthis in Yemen in coming weeks, according to Reuters

Saudi Arabia is planning an attack against the Houthis in Yemen expected to begin in the coming weeks, to be conducted on the ground by Yemeni forces led by Riyadh and with assistance from Saudi air strikes, according to Reuters news agency.

According to Reuters news agency, the operation will be conducted on the ground by Yemeni forces led by Riyadh and with assistance from Saudi air strikes. Saudi Arabia is considering two options for the attack: advancing along the coast to secure shipping in the Red Sea, or a combined attack on multiple fronts.

It was also reported that Saudi Arabia is receiving military intelligence from the U.S. and aims to erase the Houthis' gains in Yemen in recent weeks. Officials who asked to remain anonymous told Reuters that Saudi Arabia's allies are not expected to take direct part in combat operations.

Saudi Arabia entered Yemen's civil war in 2015, aiming to support the government recognized by the international community, which the Houthis had ousted from the capital Sana'a. A ceasefire agreed in 2022 was largely maintained until this year, with the Houthis launching missile and drone attacks against Saudi ships and oil infrastructure, as part of escalating tensions related to Iran.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Ashton Hamad Alaibodi, an electrical engineer at the Department of Energy in Washington, was arrested for supporting the Houthis. According to U.S. authorities, the assistance included the purchase and transfer of materials intended for the manufacture of explosives and drones. Alaibodi, 51, from Maryland and Washington, was arrested after visiting Yemen last month, and the FBI stated that he intended to help the Houthis improve their communications capabilities.