Saudis plan major offensive against the Houthis, but U.S. won't join for now

Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces are planning a major counteroffensive against Iran-backed Houthis in the coming days — an effort to push them away from areas on the Red Sea coast that control the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, two U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: For the second time in recent weeks, the U.S. rebuffed Saudi pleas to join the operation and conduct airstrikes. But U.S. officials say that could change if the operation runs into problems.

• The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports. Control over it gives the Houthis and their Iranian backer a powerful new point of leverage over the U.S., its Gulf allies and the world economy.

Driving the news: In recent weeks, the Houthis took over key areas of the southern Red Sea coast that control the strait. They also increased missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia. The Saudis retaliated with airstrikes against Houthi targets.

Behind the scenes: A U.S. official said the Saudis have been planning the operation for weeks and that plans were approved by Saudi leadership several days ago.

• The operation will include ground forces loyal to the internationally recognized government in Yemen with Saudi air cover.
• On Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid Bin Salman called Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to brief him on the planned operation and ask again for U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets, the U.S. official said.
• A U.S. official said that the U.S. "is not going to take kinetic action for now."
• Last week, President Trump was close to ordering a strike on the Houthis after a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), but eventually decided to hold off.

Between the lines: Trump is caught between wanting to help his friend and ally MBS, and avoiding getting entangled in a new front in the Middle East.

• The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also had serious reservations about launching strikes in Yemen and saw it as a distraction from its focus on Iran, a U.S. official said.

Zoom in: U.S. officials say the U.S. military is helping the Saudis with everything short of direct combat, mainly intelligence and targeting data.

• One U.S. official said that in the last two weeks, the U.S. military provided the Saudis with more than 200 Houthi targets to strike. The official said the strikes significantly increased pressure on the Houthis.