The offensive follows a secret meeting of President Donald Trump's top national security team at Camp David on Friday, which was chaired by Vice President JD Vance. Participants including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe discussed potential US combat operations in Iran and the prospect of joining the Saudi led push in Yemen. While Trump has provided other support for the counteroffensive, the White House has so far resisted Saudi requests to authorize direct US airstrikes.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Saudi Backed Yemeni Forces Launch Offensive to Retake Bab al-Mandeb Strait
War16 days ago
A large scale military campaign is underway in Yemen as the government seeks to push Iran backed militants away from critical shipping routes. The presidential council announced on Saturday that tens of thousands of Saudi backed troops are deploying to reclaim areas along the Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, after officials declared that all opportunities for de-escalation with the Houthi militia had been exhausted.
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