U.S. strikes spur plans for Yemeni ground war against Houthis

Pro-government militias sense opportunity to claw back territory from Iran-backed militants

- Benoit Faucon, Nancy A. Youssef & Saleh Al-Batati

Yemeni militias are planning a ground offensive against the Houthis in an attempt to take advantage of a U.S. bombing campaign that has degraded the militant group's capabilities, Yemeni and U.S. officials say.

The Yemeni factions are sensing an opportunity to oust the Houthis from at least parts of the Red Sea coast they have controlled in the decade since they took power over much of the country's northwest, the officials said.

Private American security contractors provided advice to the Yemeni factions on a potential ground operation, people involved in the planning said. The United Arab Emirates, which supports these factions, raised the plan with American officials in recent weeks, the U.S. and Yemeni officials said.

The U.S. is open to supporting a ground operation by local forces, the U.S. officials said, while noting that a decision on whether to back the effort hasn't been made yet. The U.S. isn't leading the talks for a ground operation, the officials added. The discussion involves empowering the local factions allied with the internationally recognized government in Yemen to take charge of the country's security, they said.

"Ultimately, security in the Red Sea is the responsibility of our partners in the region, and we're working closely with them to ensure shipping in those waterways remains safe and open far into the future," National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told The Wall Street Journal last week.

Under the plan being discussed, the local factions based in the country's south would deploy their forces up the Houthi-controlled western Yemeni coast and try to seize the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemeni officials said.