Can Saudi Arabia rebuild Yemen’s fractured anti-Houthi coalition?

Francesco Schiavi

Saudi-backed Yemeni government soldiers gather near the Jabal Han front, west of the city of Taiz, following fierce battles earlier in the day, as Yemen's Houthis reportedly attempted to seize control of the main route between Taiz and the coastal city of Aden, on Oct. 3, 2026. — Ahmad Al-Basha / AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia is turning to Yemeni factions historically backed by the United Arab Emirates to counter Houthi advances, testing whether a shared threat can overcome rivalries that have fractured the anti-Houthi camp and strained Saudi-Emirati ties.

Riyadh’s efforts to coordinate these forces come as the Iran-backed Houthis continue to target the kingdom’s infrastructure and threaten Red Sea shipping.

Saudi Arabia's immediate objective is to reverse Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast and secure the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital gateway for Saudi energy exports as the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded.

The internationally recognized Yemeni government launched Operation Dawn of Yemen on Oct. 4, with extensive Saudi air support. Government forces subsequently claimed to have recaptured Dhubab, near Bab el-Mandeb, and the Red Sea port of Mokha, farther north. The Houthis disputed the extent of those gains, while subsequent fighting around Taiz has exposed the limits of the government’s military coordination.