Yemen's Army Claims Securing Bab al-Mandab, With Saudi‑backed Offensive Rolling


Yemen pro‑government forces gather west of the city of Taiz

Yemeni pro‑government forces backed by Saudi Arabia said they have "secured" the Bab al‑Mandab Strait as they launch a major offensive against the Iran‑backed Houthi movement.


A military spokesman reported that Giants Brigades and National Shield forces had besieged Houthi fighters in Dhubab, a Red Sea‑coastal town overlooking the strategic strait. The troops seized the local airport and cut off the roadway leading to the port city of Mokha.


Houthi‑run media dismissed any claims of advancement in the area, insisting their presence remained unchanged. Nevertheless, the Yemeni government outlined operations on several fronts, most notably a drive to recapture Sanaa – the city that fell to the Houthis twelve years ago.


Saudi‑led coalition aircraft have reportedly destroyed more than 300 high‑value targets in support of this campaign, signalling the intensity of the renewed battle for Yemen’s sovereignty.


On Saturday, the head of Yemen’s internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council announced the start of an all‑out offensive, declaring that all avenues for de‑escalation had been exhausted. He urged all armed forces to “carry out their assigned missions” until the country is freed from the Houthi militia’s control.


The People's Liberation Army of Yemen reports that the Houthis recently severed a key mountain road near Taiz, effectively encircling government forces and civilians alike. In retaliation, the Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco oil sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area following multiple Saudi strikes.


Yemen’s war, which began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa, escalated a year later with a Saudi‑led intervention aimed at restoring the government’s rule. A four‑year informal ceasefire unraveled in July when the Houthis imposed a maritime embargo and began missile and drone attacks on Saudi assets.


Since the escalation, the conflict has claimed almost a thousand lives and injured thousands more, while the UN reports that nearly 200,000 people have been displaced. The international community watches closely as the tide may yet turn in favor of the pro‑government forces.