00:04Saudi Arabia is preparing for what could become its biggest military move in Yemen in years.
00:10Reports suggest Riyadh is planning a major sea offensive and possibly even a land assault
00:17against the Iran-aligned Houthis. The move comes as the Red Sea becomes one of the world's most
00:23important conflict zones. According to Yemeni sources, Saudi forces have been withdrawing
00:29from eastern Yemen and concentrating troops for what could be an attack on the Houthi-controlled
00:34governorate of al-Bayda. At the same time, Riyadh is building a multinational naval coalition
00:41to secure shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The urgency comes after
00:48the Houthis announced the blockade on Saudi ships earlier this month. The group says the blockade
00:53will continue until Saudi Arabia ends its own restrictions on Yemen. However, the timing
00:59has raised fears of a fresh military confrontation that could disrupt global energy markets.
01:05Saudi Arabia says 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, have already
01:13backed a multinational maritime defense coalition. Riyadh has also approached the United States,
01:19along with Germany, France, Britain and Italy, to strengthen naval security in the region.
01:25The stakes are extremely high. Before the Iran conflict, most Saudi crew traveled through the
01:32Strait of Hormuz. But with Hormuz facing repeated disruptions, more than half of Saudi oil exports
01:38are now moving overland to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Any blockade in the Red Sea could severely
01:45impact Saudi oil exports and global energy supplies. The military buildup follows a series of escalating
01:52attacks. Houthi forces recently claimed strikes on sensitive Saudi oil transport sites, while
01:59Saudi airstrikes targeted Houthi positions around the port city of Hodeidah. A third Saudi commercial
02:05vessel was also attacked in the Red Sea, adding to concerns over shipping security. The crisis is
02:11expanding beyond Yemen. Just days ago, Saudi and U.S. forces carried out strikes against Iran-backed
02:18militias in Iraq after attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid
02:24bin Salman also held urgent talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance to discuss
02:32the next phase of the regional response. Despite the military preparations, Saudi Arabia insists it does not
02:39want a wider war with Iran. Riyadh continues to argue that diplomacy remains possible, while negotiations
02:46through Oman are still underway over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. For now, the world is watching closely.
02:53If Saudi Arabia launches a full-scale offensive against the Houthis, the conflict could reshape
02:59security across the Red Sea, threaten global shipping, and push the Middle East into another dangerous
03:05phase of instability.
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