SANA’A (Dispatches) — In a decisive display of military intelligence and operational superiority, the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) have delivered a devastating series of pre-emptive strikes against Saudi-backed troop concentrations across Yemen, effectively dismantling Riyadh’s latest campaign before it could commence.
The operations, which began on August 6, targeted key military installations in Marib, Hadhramaut, Aden, Abyan, Taizz, and the western coast. The Yemeni Armed Forces struck command posts, weapons depots, supply centers, and troop concentrations belonging to Saudi-funded Emergency Forces and First Military Region units that were actively preparing for an offensive against Sana’a.
“The attacks represent a masterful application of the ‘strike before being struck’ doctrine,” says military analyst Colonel Rachid al-Watiri. “Sana’a demonstrated exceptional intelligence-gathering capabilities by identifying assembly points and staging areas well in advance, then neutralizing them with precision.”
The strategic breadth of the operation was remarkable. Within days, YAF missiles and drones reached Ruwaik, al-Abr, and Al-Thaniyah in Marib; Sahn al-Jinn, which houses Aden government defense ministry facilities; Mokha Port on the Red Sea; and even Seiyun Airport in Hadhramaut. Saudi Arabia’s Jizan refinery was also struck on August 9, a direct response to Saudi warplanes entering Yemeni airspace over Saada and Hajjah.
The Yemeni Armed Forces have successfully enforced a “blockade for blockade” policy against Saudi-linked shipping, with eight Saudi oil vessels attacked and 29 forced to turn back since operations expanded into the Gulf of Aden and northern Red Sea.
Riyadh’s predicament is now severe. Saudi crude exports have plummeted to 3.434 million barrels per day—the lowest since 2002. The kingdom finds itself trapped between escalating a war it failed to win and retreating from a proxy campaign built on divided proxies.
Internal contradictions within the Saudi-UAE camp further undermine Riyadh’s position. The Southern Transitional Council remains fractured, Saudi-backed and UAE-backed factions compete for influence, and southern forces have shown reluctance to fight on northern fronts.
Years of aggression have failed to dislodge the Sana’a government, and this new Saudi mobilization begins from an even weaker position. Every Saudi advance risks broader retaliation against its territory, oil infrastructure, and maritime routes—a reality the leadership in Riyadh can no longer ignore.
The Yemeni Armed Forces have proven that force alone cannot change an equation forged through years of steadfast resistance. As Riyadh contemplates its next move, the battlefield has already been redrawn—and it favors Sana’a.