Between American desire and Saudi conditions... What are the chances of military escalation against the Houthis?

A recent study issued by the Mokha Center for Studies confirmed the importance of liberating Al Hudaydah Governorate, stressing the need to adopt a new American strategy to confront the increasing threats of the Houthi group.

The study , titled “Opportunities for Military Escalation Against the Houthis Between American Desire and Saudi Conditions,” explained that the legitimate government in Yemen called for taking decisive steps, including classifying the Houthis as a terrorist organization, supporting government forces to retake the strategic port of Hodeidah, in addition to targeting the group’s leaders to dismantle its leadership structure.

These demands coincided with active US diplomatic moves in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where US officials, including counterterrorism representatives, held meetings with the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, where regional security issues and ways to confront Houthi threats internally and externally were discussed.

The study indicated that there are Saudi reservations about participating in any military operation against the Houthis, conditional on signing a security partnership agreement with Washington that guarantees the protection of Saudi regional interests.

The city of Hodeidah remains a focal point in any potential military escalation, given its strategic and economic importance, as it includes the vital port of Hodeidah, which directly affects international navigation in the Red Sea.

It is noteworthy that the Houthis took control of Hodeidah in 2015, and there were attempts to retake it, such as Operation Golden Spear launched by the Arab coalition in 2017. However, international pressure prompted the legitimate government to sign the Stockholm Agreement in 2018, which halted military operations without the Houthis implementing its provisions.