Report: Houthis Preparing Major Ground Operation Against Saudi Arabia as Tensions Escalate

Yemen’s Houthis are preparing for a significant escalation in their confrontation with Saudi Arabia, one that could include launching a large-scale ground operation along the border between the two countries. That is according to a report published Thursday by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah.

According to the report, military sources told the newspaper that the Houthis are considering expanding their operations against the kingdom and deploying capabilities not previously used in the conflict. The sources said the Houthis intend to "use military options that were not exhausted during the 'first phase,'" as part of a transition to a new stage in the campaign.

Those sources said the next phase is expected to be "even more painful for Saudi Arabia." Among the options being considered is shifting the focus of the fighting directly to the kingdom’s southern border, with the aim of increasing pressure on the government in Riyadh.

One of the central steps in the escalation plan, according to the report, is the launch of a "large-scale" ground operation along the border area. The Houthis are preparing to expand military activity in the region, a move that could mark a major escalation in the conflict with Saudi Arabia.

The threat of a ground campaign comes after the Houthis announced last month that they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. That move, too, was intended to exert political and economic pressure on Riyadh, against the backdrop of understandings reached between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis as part of the 2023 roadmap.