Exclusive: Houthis Begin Implementing Escalation Plan with Maritime Deployments and Missile Force Preparations
According to information obtained by Sheba Intelligence, the Houthi movement has begun implementing the first operational phase of the military escalation it announced in recent days, combining preparations for maritime attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait with missile-force deployments targeting Saudi Arabia.
Maritime Operations Underway
Sources said the group has transferred three unmanned explosive surface vessels together with small unmanned explosive underwater craft designed to function as mobile naval mines to the Al-Luhayyah coastal reserve on Yemen's Red Sea coast.
The deployment is reportedly intended to support surprise attacks against shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, disrupt international maritime traffic, and prepare for wider naval operations.
According to the information, officers from the Naval Forces, Fifth Military Region, Coast Guard, and the western and southern military sectors in Hodeidah have been tasked with providing logistical support, preparing launch sites, and coordinating large-scale maritime attacks, including suicide-style operations against vessels and shipping lanes.
Missile Force Preparations
The maritime deployments come alongside decisions reached during a high-level Houthi military intelligence meeting chaired by Abu Ali al-Hakim, which, according to Sheba Intelligence sources, approved missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia and assigned operational responsibilities to commanders linked to the missile force.
The meeting reportedly included senior missile-force commanders together with Iranian and Lebanese military advisers as part of broader operational planning for the next phase of escalation.
Background
The latest developments follow the Houthi announcement of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia under what the group called the “blockade for blockade” doctrine.
Hours before the announcement, Sheba Intelligence exclusively reported that senior Houthi leaders had held a high-level meeting attended by the Iranian ambassador and Iranian military advisers, concluding that the movement was preparing to move from military readiness to a broader phase of escalation.
The Houthi declaration was followed by coordinated responses from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Coalition. Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi reaffirmed the government’s determination to resume oil exports and defend Yemen’s sovereignty. Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi threats as a dangerous escalation against regional security and freedom of navigation, while the Saudi-led Coalition said its forces were fully prepared to take the necessary operational measures to protect the Kingdom, secure maritime routes, and preserve regional stability.
Taken together, the latest intelligence indicates that the Houthis are beginning to translate their political threats into coordinated military preparations across both the maritime and missile domains, increasing the risks to shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and to wider regional security.