Saudi Arabia is Ready to Take Back Yemen. Can it be Done?

Saudi Arabia has launched a major counteroffensive in Yemen, recapturing the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait from Houthi rebels just weeks after losing it. With 100,000 troops and massive air support, government forces made rapid gains along the Red Sea coast. But holding territory in Yemen's brutal terrain remains another matter. References https://www.axios.com/2026/10/04/yemen-saudi-houthis-counteroffensive https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/04/yemen-launches-offensive-to-seize-all-areas-from-iran-backed-houthis.html https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/10/riyadhs-allies-pledge-troops-yemen-saudi-arabia-attack-houthis https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/5/yemen-forces-claim-to-seize-dhubab-sites-near-bab-al-mandeb-from-houthis https://x.com/IbrahimJalalYE/status/2107126038983475541 https://x.com/CKMapss/status/2107174744806097258 https://x.com/YemeniFatima/status/2107222416615256111 https://x.com/Alsakaniali/status/2107027110275461257 https://x.com/OSINTWarfare/status/2107245628904345600 https://x.com/pati_marins64/status/2107199490893418985 https://x.com/AFP/status/2107213043830493333 https://x.com/Osint613/status/2107212509203804233 https://x.com/MenchOsint/status/2107204082767159309 https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261004-yemen-leader-announces-counter-offensive-as-houthis-cut-off-supply-route-besieged-city-taiz https://www.reuters.com/world/yemeni-government-forces-seize-district-by-bab-el-mandeb-military-sources-say-2026-10-05/ https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/uae-vice-president-visits-saudi-arabia-first-visit-since-rift-2026-09-29/ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/head-yemens-presidential-council-announces-military-operations-retake-territory-2026-10-04/ https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/fire-smoke-seen-near-aramco-facility-riyadh-witness-says-2026-10-03/ https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-iran-saudi-arabia-red-sea-taiz-e87beb84a0d146e4f0546b50508f7e32 https://x.com/andreas_krieg/status/2107103861794128110 https://x.com/glcarlstrom/status/2106970352102597058 https://x.com/leventkemaI/status/2107004063313461417 https://x.com/MllerQuentin/status/2107008377628893324 https://x.com/Mikeknightsiraq/status/2107063356834378130 https://x.com/IbrahimJalalYE/status/2107029818357239984 https://x.com/Osint613/status/2107084079556342061 https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/2107084057053900857 https://x.com/OSINTWarfare/status/2107069412280811951 https://x.com/SaladinAlDronni/status/2107088569223311404 https://x.com/YemeniFatima/status/2107017629005119756 https://x.com/MenchOsint/status/2107057750068855274 https://x.com/leventkemaI/status/2107043988461199473 https://x.com/Natsecjeff/status/2107070395702731231 https://x.com/NotWoofers/status/2106685696195133720 https://x.com/SaladinAlDronni/status/2106100497799397413 https://x.com/NotWoofers/status/2107128294533439882 https://x.com/clement_molin/status/2107150409030578376 https://x.com/citrinowicz/status/2107196512207856084 https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2107184211769823449 https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/12/middleeast/yemen-houthi-saudi-us-blame-intl https://www.axios.com/2026/10/02/saudis-yemen-houthis-bab-al-mandeb-strait https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/saudis-plan-assault-houthis-break-red-sea-chokehold-2026-10-02/ https://www.reuters.com/world/eus-kallas-says-red-sea-naval-mission-needs-more-than-10-ships-2026-09-21/ https://www.newarab.com/analysis/why-al-turbah-and-dhubab-are-key-yemens-new-offensive https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/saudi-backed-yemen-government-military-drive-retake-houthi-territory https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/over-70-dead-fighting-around-yemens-taiz-24-hours https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/4/why-is-fighting-intensifying-in-yemens-taiz-governorate