The dilemma of military intervention in Yemen

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he may request military support from Turkey for a potential joint operation against the Houthis in Yemen.

Could Turkey send troops to Yemen in the face of such a request? 

If it were to send them, what would be its objective, and how would this decision affect Turkey's regional interests?

The Houthis are sending the message that if Saudi Arabia continues its support for the Yemeni government, Riyadh's economic and security costs will increase. The intensification of Houthi attacks increases Saudi Arabia's security concerns while also affecting the search for diplomatic solutions. Riyadh has turned toward continuing its support for the Yemeni government and expanding its search for external support, alongside diplomatic initiatives. Thus, the conflict in Yemen is transforming from a struggle between internal parties into a regional and international security issue.

In this process, Saudi Arabia continues to seek support from Gulf countries, the Arab world, and Western states. 

The fact that Egypt has stated it is ready to support Saudi Arabia, and that the U.S., the U.K., France, and many other states have brought military aid options to the agenda, is significant in showing the international dimension of developments in Yemen. However, when evaluating the stances of these countries in the security field, it is necessary to consider that diplomatic support, defense aid, and direct military intervention are distinct options. A country providing support to Saudi Arabia does not mean it will send troops directly to an operation to be conducted against the Houthis in Yemen.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, to which Turkey is also a party, is important at this point for evaluating Turkey's potential stance. However, being a party to the agreement does not mean that Turkey will participate in every military operation conducted in Yemen. Indeed, Turkey has stated that the agreement is for defensive purposes and does not have an offensive nature. 

Why is Yemen so important?

For the U.S., Yemen has strategic importance in terms of maritime trade routes, the security of the Red Sea, and Israel's maritime connections and security. The control of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the security of trade passing through this line concern not only the countries of the region but also global trade. For this reason, actors effective in Yemen are in a position to influence maritime transport and regional security balances. It is necessary to evaluate U.S. policy on Yemen from this perspective and within the framework of the regional competition it is conducting with Iran.

For Saudi Arabia, developments in Yemen extend far beyond border security. Houthi attacks on Saudi territory also put the country's security and economic development goals at risk. Riyadh's desire for an administration close to it to be effective in Yemen is directly linked to the protection of its border security and its interests in the Red Sea.

For Egypt, the importance of the conflicts in Yemen is also linked to the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Disruptions to maritime transport on these routes could negatively affect the flow of trade provided through the Suez Canal and Egypt's canal revenues.

For Iran, Yemen, which forms the final link of the Shiite Crescent, is one of the important areas of the regional struggle for influence. 

For Israel, the Red Sea is important, especially in terms of maritime transport reaching the Port of Eilat and the country's maritime connections in the south. At the same time, it constitutes one of the important areas of the regional power struggle being conducted with Iran.

Saudi Arabia's search for support and the U.S. stance

Saudi Arabia believes that the more external support it receives, the more power it will have to counter Houthi attacks and increase its influence within Yemen. For this reason, it is in particular need of U.S. military support. 

Following the death of a U.S. citizen in a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10, 2026, Trump said he would not forget what the Houthis had done. Trump also accused the Houthis of targeting Saudi Arabia and trying to drive up oil prices. While these statements indicate that the U.S. stance toward the Houthis may harden, they also increase the importance of U.S. support for Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Riyadh receiving strong support from Washington could alleviate the country's security concerns and strengthen its hand in Yemen policy.

What does it mean for Turkey?

The geographical distance between Turkey and Yemen does not eliminate the importance of historical and cultural relations between the two countries or regional developments for Turkey. Stability or instability in the Middle East directly or indirectly affects Turkey's security, economic relations, and foreign policy. The security of maritime transport in the Red Sea is also important for Turkey's foreign trade, supply chains, and regional economic connections. However, Turkey protecting these interests does not mean it will engage in direct military intervention in the conflict in Yemen.

Regardless of which actor gains more influence in Yemen, the primary goal for Turkey is to prevent the damage that instability could cause to the country's commercial interests and regional security. For this reason, instead of Turkey's name being mentioned in connection with a possible joint operation, it should be handled within the framework of a diplomatic solution and preventing the spread of the conflict. The concept of military aid must also be clearly defined. Is the aid meant here the provision of military equipment, vehicles, and supplies, technical support, or the direct sending of troops? The legal bases, political consequences, and risks for Turkey of these options are different from one another. 

Furthermore, the conditions under which Turkey can send troops abroad are expressed in Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey. The legal basis, purpose, duration, and which country or international force it will be attached to for the mission are legislated by this article. The authorized body for such a decision is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

Participating in a direct military operation against the Houthis in Yemen could make Turkey one of the parties to the conflict. This situation could lead to the Houthis directly targeting Turkey and endangering the safety of Turkish soldiers. Moreover, such a step could also increase military and economic costs for Turkey.

What should be Turkey's priority?

Turkey's priority should be to support the security of maritime transport in the Red Sea and regional stability while not making itself a direct party to the conflict. 

In conclusion, whether or not Turkey will send troops does not depend solely on whether a request comes from outside. 

Considering the fact that lasting stability in Yemen cannot be achieved solely by military force, Turkey should pursue a policy that prioritizes a diplomatic solution, avoids direct military intervention, plans for defensive support with defined limits, and calculates the costs of this in detail.