Yemen’s Army Claims Securing Bab al-Mandab Strait as Offensive Ramps Up

Mon Oct 05 2026 16:56:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Yemeni forces declare the Bab al‑Mandab Strait secure amid intensified fight as a Saudi‑backed army launches all‑out offensive against Houthi rebels.

Yemeni pro‑government troops say they have secured the Bab al‑Mandab Strait in the Red Sea after a new offensive against the Iran‑backed Houthis. Reporters witness the capture of Dhubab airport and a road to Mokha as Saudi‑led coalition jets strike over 300 targets. President‑designated Al‑Amimi has called on all security forces to continue the assault until Yemen is liberated. The Yemeni civil war, raging since 2014, has already caused nearly 1,000 deaths and displaced almost 200,000 people.

Yemen’s army says it has secured the Bab al‑Mandab Strait in new offensive

Published 32 minutes ago by David Gritten

Yemen pro‑government forces gather west of Taiz

Yemeni pro‑government forces backed by Saudi Arabia claim they have 'secured' the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, a key chokepoint at the entrance of the Red Sea, as they launch a fresh offensive against the Iran‑backed Houthi movement.

Sources said the Giants Brigades and National Shield units closed in on Houthi fighters in the Red Sea town of Dhubab, taking its airport and cutting the road to the port city of Mokha. Houthi‑controlled media denied any gains in the area.

The offensive is unfolding on multiple fronts – from the capital Sanaa, which the Houthis seized over a decade ago, to the coast near Taiz and the southern Red Sea. A Saudi‑led coalition reports destroying more than 300 high‑value targets in support.

President‑designated President Al‑Amimi, who announced the operation, said all avenues for de‑escalation had been exhausted and called on all security forces to 'carry out their missions until Yemen is liberated.'

In recent weeks the Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Saudi oil sites, prompting retaliation by coalition forces. The conflict has killed almost 1,000 people and displaced nearly 200,000 according to UN counts.