Yemen’s pro‑government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, said they have “secured” the Bab al‑Mandab Strait as part of a new offensive against the Iran‑backed Houthi rebels.
A military spokesman claimed that Giants Brigades and National Shield units had taken control of the Dhubab airport and cut the road to the port city of Mokha, both overlooking the strategic waterway.
Houthi‑run media denied any gains in the area, while the Yemeni government announced operations had begun on several fronts, including the capital Sanaa, a city that fell to the Houthis in 2014.
The Saudi‑led coalition said its fighter jets had destroyed more than 300 high‑value targets in support of the offensive.
On Sunday, President Rashad al‑Alimi declared the start of an all‑out offensive to retake all Houthi‑held territory, calling the insurgents a terrorist militia.
The conflict intensified after a July 2023 rupture of a four‑year ceasefire, when the Houthis launched a maritime embargo and attacked Saudi oil facilities and aircraft.
Since the latest escalation, the Yemeni health ministry reports 959 deaths and 5,000 injuries, while the United Nations counts 197,000 displaced people.
