Sheba Intelligence – Exclusive

    Sheba Intelligence has obtained information about an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plan for a broad Houthi offensive on Yemen’s western coast, intended to revive the push toward Bab al-Mandab and prevent further deterioration of Houthi positions in coastal areas and Taiz, according to a source in Hodeidah governorate.

The source said commanders responsible for ground operations had approved preparations involving Iranian, Lebanese and Iraqi experts in planning, logistical support and directing fighters toward designated objectives. The offensive would combine attacks across several fronts with support from drones, ballistic missiles and short-range missiles.

The preparations follow a fierce Houthi assault on Al-Wazi’iyah in western Taiz, intended to secure faster access toward Bab al-Mandab through its proximity to Dhubab district, which overlooks the strategic shipping passage.

According to field information received by Sheba Intelligence, airstrikes and government ground reinforcements thwarted that push and left the attacking Houthi forces encircled. The new plan seeks to relieve pressure on those forces while reopening opportunities for an advance from southern Hodeidah.

A central objective is to retake Hays and link the offensive with fighting in Maqbanah, in Taiz governorate. Preparations also include attacks from Jabal Ras and Wadi Al-Murayr toward Hays and the Taiz fronts, using successive waves of fighters to stretch government defences.

Al-Khokha, on the coast southwest of Hays, is another location the Houthis seek to reach, the source said. Its proximity to the fighting around Hays makes it a significant objective in the wider coastal push.

The Al-Tuhayta axis would serve a coastal flanking role, seeking to move around areas where government forces have advanced and threaten roads connecting their positions.

Meanwhile, the Al-Jabaliyah, Al-Fazah and Al-Jah fronts would be used to disrupt and tie down government forces through clashes along contact lines and missile and drone attacks. These operations are intended to limit the Joint Forces’ ability to shift reinforcements toward the main assaults.

The source said the plan relies on manpower, simultaneous pressure and missile and drone support to achieve initial breakthroughs. The speed and effectiveness of air intervention would be critical to whether the Houthis could secure and hold any gains.

The reported plan combines an immediate effort to avert further Houthi setbacks with the broader objective of advancing toward Bab al-Mandab.

Sheba Intelligence could not independently verify when the full offensive would begin or the size of the forces assigned to it.