News - Yemen: Yemeni military affairs researcher Zakaria Sharabi affirmed that the recent Saudi military maneuver in the Red Sea cannot be separated from Riyadh’s functional role as a regional tool serving US and Zionist interests, stressing that it represents another chapter in Washington’s attempts to recover from its military and political failures across the region.

A Continuation of Dependency on Washington

Speaking to Al-Masirah TV, Sharabi explained that Saudi Arabia’s maneuvers are part of a long-standing pattern of subservience to the United States and the Zionist enemy. “Riyadh is not an independent decision-making state; it is an American protectorate,” he said, recalling US President Donald Trump’s statement that Saudi Arabia “could not survive more than two weeks without Washington’s protection.”

Sharabi noted that the exercise follows a series of US and allied failures in the Red Sea, where they were unable to impose control despite their superior naval capabilities. In contrast, the Axis of Resistance—led by Yemen—has forced American aircraft carriers to withdraw, marking a historic shift in regional power dynamics.

Washington’s Substitute Strategy

Sharabi stated that the US, recognizing its declining influence, is now pushing Saudi Arabia and its client states to fill the void left by its own withdrawal from the Red Sea under the pretext of “maintaining security.” He emphasized that this is not a strategic repositioning, as Washington claims, but rather a desperate reliance on regional proxies to conceal its battlefield failures.

He added that the Red Sea maneuver is neither new nor defensive in nature, but part of a broader plan to reassert control over vital maritime routes after Washington and its allies lost the ability to dominate them.

“Coast Guard Initiative” as a Cover for Subversion

Sharabi revealed that Riyadh has recently sought to establish what it calls the “Yemeni Coast Guard Support Initiative,” which he described as a front for recruiting mercenaries loyal to the aggression coalition. The aim, he said, is to create a security cover that protects American and Israeli interests under the guise of maritime cooperation.

He explained that this approach reflects Washington’s new military doctrine, which delegates tasks to its subordinates to carry out missions it can no longer afford—not out of strategic restraint, but due to its growing inability to sustain direct confrontation in the region.

An Extension of a Colonial Project

In conclusion, Sharabi stressed that the Saudi maneuvers in the Red Sea are not defensive military operations as Riyadh claims, but rather a renewed colonial project orchestrated by Washington and executed by its local agents. He said the move reflects a futile attempt to restore dominance over maritime passages after the US and its allies lost credibility and deterrence power in the face of Yemen’s steadfastness and the resilience of the Axis of Resistance.

The Saudi naval maneuvers come amid increasing maritime tensions in the Red Sea, where Yemeni forces have successfully disrupted US and allied operations and limited their freedom of movement. Analysts believe Washington’s recent push for Saudi involvement represents a tactical shift to outsource confrontation to its regional clients after repeated military and intelligence setbacks. This development underscores the emergence of Yemen as a strategic player capable of reshaping regional equations and challenging both American and Zionist influence in one of the world’s most vital waterways.