Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have retaken several strategic areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, pushing Houthi fighters out of positions along the vital Red Sea waterway as fighting intensifies across western Yemen.
Yemeni officials said government forces captured the town of Dhubab, located just north of the narrow strait, along with the nearby towns of Bab and Hadeid. Witnesses reportedly saw government tanks and troops entering the areas.
The advances came as part of a major offensive launched on Oct. 5 under air cover from a Saudi-led military coalition. The operation is aimed at reversing territorial gains made by the Iran-backed Houthis in recent weeks.
Government forces push toward Mocha
The offensive represents a significant counterattack after Houthi forces made rapid gains along Yemen’s western coastline.
Reuters reported that Saudi-backed forces advanced along the coast toward the city of Mocha, while heavy Saudi air support targeted Houthi positions. Yemeni government sources said the forces had reached the outskirts of Mocha and that Houthi fighters were retreating toward the highlands.
The internationally recognised Yemeni government later said its forces had retaken Mocha, although developments remained fluid and some battlefield claims could not immediately be independently verified.
Government forces also seized positions in the Dhubab district overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb, including an airstrip, according to military and government sources cited by Reuters.
The Houthis have disputed some of the reported advances, making the exact extent of territorial changes difficult to establish independently.
Why the Bab el-Mandeb matters
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages.
It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and provides a major shipping route between Europe and Asia. Control of the waterway has significant implications for international trade, energy shipments and commercial shipping.
The Houthis seized territory around the strait during their rapid advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast in September, including the strategic port city of Mocha and nearby islands.
The group’s gains gave it control over the Yemeni side of the waterway and raised concerns about the security of ships using the route. The strait carries an estimated 12% of global trade, according to the Associated Press.
The renewed fighting has therefore attracted attention beyond Yemen, particularly because other major shipping routes in the region have also been disrupted by the wider conflict.
Saudi coalition provides air support
Saudi Arabia has played a central role in supporting the Yemeni government offensive.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said around 100 fighter jets were providing support to government forces and that the coalition had established air protection over the Bab el-Mandeb.
He also claimed that hundreds of Houthi targets had been destroyed.
Those claims come from the Saudi-led coalition and could not all be independently verified.
The offensive, known as “Yemen Dawn”, follows a pledge by the leadership of Yemen’s internationally recognised government to reclaim territory controlled by the Houthis.
President of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi said the operation was intended to restore government control and ultimately push the Houthis from territory they seized during Yemen’s long-running civil war.
Houthis claim attacks inside Saudi Arabia
As the government forces advanced, the Houthis said they launched missile and drone attacks against targets inside Saudi Arabia.
The group’s military spokesman claimed attacks against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an oil refinery in Rabigh, Abha International Airport and a military base in Khamis Mushait.
Reuters reported that the claims could not immediately be verified, and Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The United States Embassy in Riyadh also warned American citizens to remain vigilant over the possibility of missile and drone attacks.
The developments underline the broader regional risks associated with the renewed fighting, as attacks on Saudi infrastructure could further complicate efforts to secure energy facilities and commercial shipping routes.
Fighting follows weeks of Houthi advances
The latest government offensive comes after weeks of rapid Houthi advances.
The Houthis had pushed south along the Red Sea coast, capturing territory and strategic positions before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb area.
They also seized nearby islands, strengthening their position around the maritime passage.
The escalation marked a sharp deterioration after a period in which Yemen’s broader conflict had remained relatively contained under a truce that largely held since 2022.
The renewed fighting has been linked to the wider regional conflict and has opened several new front lines inside Yemen.
Regional powers become increasingly involved
The renewed fighting is also drawing greater involvement from regional powers.
On Oct. 5, Pakistan and Turkey said they would deploy forces to Saudi Arabia under their defence agreement with Riyadh.
The move comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen its defences against potential Houthi missile and drone attacks while supporting Yemeni government forces on the battlefield.
The United States has also provided intelligence and other support to Saudi operations, according to US and regional officials cited by Reuters and AP.
However, the degree of American involvement remains different from the early years of the Yemen war, when Washington directly supported the Saudi-led coalition’s campaign.
A wider battle for control of Yemen
The fighting around Bab el-Mandeb is part of a much larger struggle over Yemen’s territory and political future.
The Houthis have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014 and remain one of the country’s most powerful armed groups.
The internationally recognised government, meanwhile, operates with support from Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Yemeni forces.
The latest offensive is intended not only to secure the strategic coastline but also to reverse the territorial gains made by the Houthis and restore government control over areas that have changed hands during the recent escalation.
For now, the battlefield remains fluid. Government forces have reported significant advances around Bab el-Mandeb and Mocha, while Houthi forces continue to claim that they remain capable of launching attacks against government and Saudi targets.
The fighting could have consequences well beyond Yemen if instability around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threatens commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.
