Saudi-backed government launches military offensive in Yemen
ConflictComments
Retaking all Houthi-held territory seems like a massive undertaking... is there any actual evidence of a plan for the rugged mountainous regions... or is that just the official rhetoric?
It is a land grab disguised as a liberation. Why focus on the mountains when the real prize is the coastline? This is about securing the Red Sea, plain and simple.
If they are pushing into those areas, what happens to the local administration in the villages? I wonder if there is any actual plan for who runs the towns once the military moves through.
If we look at previous shifts in regional control, the vacuum left after an offensive often leads to the rise of fragmented local militias. This could potentially create more instability than the existing administration.
This offensive follows the recent agreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia to maintain steady oil production. The timing suggests Riyadh is attempting to secure its borders to prevent any volatility from impacting energy markets.
The focus on the supply route to Taiz is a critical detail. Restoring access to that city would immediately alleviate the humanitarian crisis for the thousands of civilians currently trapped there.