President Donald Trump has refused requests from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct air strikes in Yemen, including canceling missions with bombs already loaded on US aircraft two weeks ago. In response, Saudi Arabia is preparing a military offensive to reclaim the Bab el Mandeb strait from Houthi forces, potentially launching within weeks or by early November. Riyadh is weighing a focused coastal operation against a synchronized campaign across the Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al-Jawf provinces, deploying more than 100,000 Saudi-backed Yemeni ground troops supported by Saudi air power.

To mitigate retaliatory risks, France is deploying troops and air defenses to protect the Yanbu oil facilities, the endpoint of the East-West pipeline. Pakistan has moved 30,000 to 40,000 troops into Saudi Arabia for territorial defense and sent four cargo planes of artillery and drones to Yemeni forces, while Turkish drones are operating over the region. The US continues to provide intelligence and targeting data but will not join the combat. Brent crude rose above $102 on news of the planned escalation.