Yemen’s Houthis prepare next phase of confrontation with Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Houthi movement has announced preparations for a “second phase” of escalation against Saudi Arabia and outlined three new principles for military operations, Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper reports, citing military sources.

According to the sources, the first measure envisages establishing a full naval blockade stretching from the southern Red Sea to the north, including the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

The second involves strikes on Saudi mobilisation centres inside Yemen. The third is based on the principle of “deterrence and direct response” and entails attacks on strategic targets deep inside Saudi territory if Yemeni airspace is violated.

In addition, the Houthis are preparing to expand military operations against Saudi Arabia, which could include moving clashes to the kingdom’s southern border and launching a ground operation in the border area.

Sources cited by the newspaper claim that the movement possesses significant military capabilities that were not deployed during the first stage of operations. According to them, the Houthis have officially warned Riyadh that the confrontation is entering a new, “more painful” phase.

Several leaders close to the Houthi leadership have already called for a response to the mobilisation of Saudi forces along Yemen’s western coast, as well as in the provinces of Marib and Al-Jawf.

By Jeyhun Aghazada