The Bab el-Mandeb strait — the narrow channel linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and one of the world's busiest shipping corridors — is back at the centre of a major conflict. Reuters reports that Saudi Arabia is preparing a possible military operation to push Iran-backed Houthi forces out of territory they seized along Yemen's western coast last month.
According to regional and Western officials, Riyadh is weighing two options: a limited assault focused on the strait and nearby coastline, or a broader multi-front campaign across provinces including Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. Ground fighting would be led by Saudi-backed Yemeni forces — potentially more than 100,000 troops — supported by Saudi airstrikes and US intelligence. Timing estimates range from days to after the US midterm elections in early November.
The wider implications are significant. The Houthis have resumed missile and drone attacks since a 2022 truce broke down, targeting Saudi-linked shipping and infrastructure. Saudi air defences have intercepted ballistic missiles over Khamis Mushait and Jazan in recent days, and the coalition claims well over a thousand strikes on Houthi positions since fighting resumed. Allies are stepping in defensively: Pakistan has stationed 30,000–40,000 troops in Saudi Arabia to help protect borders and intercept drones, and France plans defensive systems and troops for the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
For travellers, the practical picture is straightforward: avoid Yemen entirely, and keep a close eye on advisory levels for Saudi border regions such as Jazan, Asir and Najran, where missile debris and attacks have occurred. Shipping through the Red Sea matters to holiday plans too — Red Sea cruise itineraries and dive-liveaboard routes depend on secure passage through the strait, and a prolonged disruption could reshape schedules and insurance terms for operators working the corridor. Egypt's Red Sea resorts and Jordan's Aqaba sit at the northern end of the same waterway, so escalation is worth monitoring even if you're nowhere near Yemen.
Former US ambassador Michael Ratney expects any operation to stay limited — an attempt to restore normal maritime traffic rather than a repeat of the 2015 Saudi-led campaign. Whether that holds depends heavily on Yemen's fragmented anti-Houthi forces, which analysts caution may struggle to sustain a long offensive. Either way, a region already on edge could see another front open in the weeks ahead, and anyone planning Red Sea travel should follow official advisories closely.
Story reported by Daily Sabah Travel.
