Saudi Arabia is signaling its strongest intent in years to confront the Houthis, moving to reassert maritime control in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after a period of uneasy calm. On Nov. 15, Riyadh began preparations to deploy forces to the choke point, coinciding with a new U.N. Security Council resolution tightening sanctions on Yemen.

According to military officials in the Aden-based navy of the Internationally Recognized Government of Yemen (IRGY), Saudi Arabia instructed allied naval units to ready joint ship-inspection missions aimed at vessels heading to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah. Supported by the United States and the United Kingdom, these operations shift inspections from Djibouti to the high seas—raising operational risk and placing direct pressure on t

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