Yemen offensive advances near Bab al-Mandeb as coalition air support intensifies

Yemen's internationally recognised government says its counter-offensive has made further gains along the Red Sea coast near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The operation, named Dawn of Yemen, is reported to have recaptured territory from the Houthis over the past two days, extending fighting across a strategically sensitive corridor in western Yemen. The latest claims suggest the campaign is moving beyond isolated local advances and into a broader attempt to reshape control of the coast.

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According to the supplied reporting, the Saudi-led coalition backing the government has deployed 100 fighter jets and has been flying round-the-clock support missions to help secure the strait. The Houthis, described in the material as an Iran-backed group, have responded by claiming attacks on Saudi territory. The reporting also says this is the most consequential escalation in the Yemen war since the UN-brokered truce of 2022, underlining the scale of the current fighting.

The immediate significance lies in the geography of the western coast. Bab al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and sits on a route that matters for commercial shipping and regional energy flows. The supplied material says the Red Sea has become a strategic lifeline for Gulf states, and that control of the Yemeni shore near the strait can give one side leverage far beyond the battlefield.

That makes the current offensive important not only for Yemen's internal war, but also for wider maritime security. The operation also highlights the military balance on the ground. The reporting says the Houthis' recent gains near Bab al-Mandeb may be exposed because the Tihama coast is flatter and harder to defend than their traditional strongholds in northern Yemen.

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It adds that the government forces' ability to maintain cohesion will be crucial if they are to hold any territory they retake. In that sense, the campaign is not only about capturing ground, but also about whether the anti-Houthi side can sustain pressure over several fronts. The conflict itself has been shaped by years of shifting front lines and a long period of relative freeze.

The supplied material says the war was managed as a frozen conflict for four years after the 2022 truce, before the current escalation began. It also notes that the Houthis' grip on territory near Bab al-Mandeb has become a source of regional concern because it affects the security of routes used by oil shipments and other trade. That gives the present fighting a significance that extends well beyond the immediate coastal towns.

The western coast has repeatedly been one of Yemen's most contested theatres because it links military, humanitarian and transport concerns. Control of roads, ports and coastal positions can alter supply lines and the movement of forces, while also affecting access for civilians. The current offensive therefore carries both military and economic implications, especially if the fighting continues to spread along the coast or draws in additional fronts.

What remains unclear is how much territory has been secured in a way that can be independently verified, and whether the Houthis will mount a counterattack. It is also not clear how durable the reported gains will be if the government-backed forces cannot maintain cohesion under pressure. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting widens further along the western coast, whether the Houthis' claims of retaliation intensify, and whether the situation around Bab al-Mandeb changes the wider balance of the war.

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Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces have reached the outskirts of Mokha as part of a widening offensive against the Houthis along the country's western coast. The latest claims follow earlier statements that pro-government forces had secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic waterway at the southern end of the Red Sea. Officials say the operation is being backed by Saudi air strikes and is now extending beyond the coastal corridor.

According to the military statement, National Shield, Giants Brigades and Tihama Resistance forces captured Mokha on Monday afternoon, although other government and military sources gave a more cautious account. Those sources told news agencies that the forces had only reached the city's outskirts, while one military source said troops had taken the Dhubab military airfield and cut the road linking Dhubab district to the Bab al-Mandab area. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on the reported situation in Mokha.

The reported advance matters because Mokha and Dhubab sit on a corridor that links the Red Sea coast to inland routes and to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Control of that area can affect military supply lines, coastal access and the movement of forces in western Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition said its fighter jets were providing round-the-clock support and had destroyed 324 high-value targets since the offensive began, underlining the scale of the operation.

The fighting also has wider significance because Bab al-Mandab is one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Any shift in control around the strait can affect commercial shipping and the balance of power inside Yemen. The government has said operations have also begun on other fronts, including toward Sanaa, which fell to the Houthis at the start of the civil war 12 years ago.

The latest claims come against the backdrop of a conflict that has shaped Yemen since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government to retreat. The west coast has remained one of the most contested theatres because it links military, humanitarian and transport concerns, and because control of ports and roads can shift the balance on the ground. The reported Saudi strikes in Sanaa also show how the fighting is affecting areas far from the immediate front line.

What remains unclear is how much territory has changed hands in a way that can be independently confirmed. It is also not clear whether the Houthis will counterattack around Mokha and Dhubab, or whether government forces can hold the positions they say they have taken. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting spreads further along the west coast, whether civilian movement is affected, and whether the reported gains alter the balance around Bab al-Mandab and toward Sanaa.

Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces have retaken the town of Dhubab and the port city of Mocha as part of a widening offensive against the Houthis along the country's western coast. The claims come as government-aligned forces say they are pressing north from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and also moving against Houthi-held areas further inland. The offensive is being presented by the government as an effort to recover territory lost in recent Houthi advances.

According to the latest statements, the operation is now extending beyond the coastal corridor to include pressure on Sanaa and renewed fighting around Taiz. The government says the Bab al-Mandeb area is under its control or protected by air power, although the battlefield claims have not been independently verified. The Houthis, who have held Sanaa since 2014, have not been reported as confirming the losses described by the government.

The reported gains matter because Bab al-Mandeb is one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Control of Dhubab and Mocha can affect access to the coast, supply lines and the movement of forces between western Yemen's front lines. The fighting also raises the stakes for Taiz, a long-contested governorate that sits on routes connecting the coast to inland areas.

The offensive follows a period of renewed fighting after years of relative calm and after Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast in recent weeks. The government, backed by Saudi Arabia, is trying to reverse those advances, but the conflict remains shaped by divisions within the anti-Houthi camp and by the Houthis' entrenched positions in northern Yemen. Analysts cited in the reporting say the latest clashes suggest the war is entering a more dangerous phase, even if a decisive military outcome remains uncertain.

Yemen's war has been running since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government to retreat. Since then, the west coast has remained strategically important because it links military, humanitarian and transport concerns, and because control of ports and roads can shift the balance on the ground. The latest claims also underline the continuing importance of Taiz governorate, where fighting has repeatedly affected both civilians and supply routes.

What remains unclear is how much territory has changed hands in a way that can be independently confirmed. It is also not clear whether the Houthis will counterattack around Dhubab and Mocha, or whether government forces can hold the positions they say they have taken. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting spreads further along the west coast, whether civilian movement is affected, and whether the reported gains alter the balance around Bab al-Mandeb and toward Sanaa.

Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces have secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the start of a broader offensive against the Houthis. The claim marks a significant development in fighting along Yemen's western coast, where control of roads, ports and coastal positions can affect both military supply lines and maritime traffic. The government says the operation is now extending beyond Dhubab and toward other fronts, including the capital, Sanaa.

A military spokesman said Giants Brigades and National Shield forces were besieging Houthi fighters in the Red Sea coastal town of Dhubab, after taking control of its airport and cutting the road to the port city of Mokha. Houthi-run media denied that government forces had advanced in the area. The government also said operations had begun on several other fronts, while a Saudi-led military coalition said its fighter jets had destroyed more than 300 high-value targets in support of the offensive.

The reported advance matters because Bab al-Mandab is one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Any change in control around the strait can affect commercial shipping and energy transport, as well as the balance of power inside Yemen. The fighting also comes after the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, said the time for de-escalation had passed and called on armed forces to carry out their assigned missions until the country was liberated from Houthi control.

The latest claims are part of a wider conflict that has shaped Yemen since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government to retreat. The war escalated in 2015 after a Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government, and the west coast has remained one of the most contested theatres because it links military, humanitarian and transport concerns. The source says the Houthis had recently cut a mountain road near Taiz, leaving government forces and residents there surrounded, while also launching ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi oil sites in retaliation for airstrikes.

The offensive also reflects the importance of Taiz governorate, which includes Mokha and sits close to Bab al-Mandab. Control of this corridor can influence access to the Red Sea coast and the movement of forces between Houthi-held and government-held areas. The government has framed the operation as an effort to retake all territory held by the Houthis, while the Houthis have presented their actions as retaliation for pressure on their positions.

What remains unclear is how much territory has changed hands in a way that can be independently confirmed. It is also not clear whether the Houthis will try to counterattack around Dhubab or whether government forces can hold the positions they say they have taken. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting spreads further along the west coast, whether civilian movement is affected, and whether the reported gains alter the balance around Bab al-Mandab.

Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces have seized the Dhubab district and key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait after a large-scale operation against the Houthis. The claim marks a further escalation in fighting on Yemen's west coast, where the two sides have been trading advances in recent weeks. The government says the operation involved air cover and ground assaults in areas close to one of the world's most important shipping routes.

According to statements carried by the state news agency and military officials, forces from the Homeland Shield Forces and the Giants Brigades took part in the assault. The government says the fighting cut supply lines and roads leading to Bab al-Mandeb, and that troops are now combing and securing the areas they describe as liberated. A military spokesman also said government forces had carried out 1,122 attacks on Houthi positions in Saada, al-Jawf and Taiz, using warplanes, drones, missiles, rockets, artillery and snipers.

The government says 1,747 Houthi fighters were killed in those operations, although the claims could not be independently verified. The Houthis have denied at least some of the government's battlefield announcements, and there has been no independent confirmation of the reported territorial gains. The latest fighting follows weeks of heavy clashes after a fragile 2022 truce collapsed in July, and after the Houthis made rapid gains along the Red Sea coast in mid-September.

The reported advance matters because Bab al-Mandeb links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a critical route for international shipping. Control of nearby territory can affect not only the military balance inside Yemen but also the security of maritime traffic through a chokepoint used by commercial vessels and energy shipments. The fighting also adds pressure to a conflict that has already displaced more than 100,000 people since the latest escalation began.

Yemen's war has been running since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government to retreat to Aden. Since then, front lines have shifted repeatedly, but the west coast and Taiz have remained among the most sensitive areas because they connect military, humanitarian and transport concerns. The recent Houthi push captured parts of the Red Sea coastline and areas around Bab al-Mandeb, prompting the government to frame its counteroffensive as an effort to reverse those gains.

The government has also sought more international support, saying it is in the world's interest for Yemen to remain stable. Officials argue that the Houthis are using force to impose control over territory and supply routes, while the Houthis present themselves as defending their positions against government and allied forces. The latest claims suggest the fighting is now centred not only on Taiz but also on the coastal corridor that has become strategically important in the wider war.

What remains unclear is how much territory, if any, has changed hands in a way that can be independently confirmed. It is also not yet clear whether the Houthis will try to counterattack around Dhubab or whether the government can hold the positions it says it has taken. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting spreads further along the west coast, whether civilian movement is affected, and whether the reported gains alter the balance around Bab al-Mandeb.

Yemen's internationally recognised government says it has launched a major offensive against the Houthis in Taiz governorate, signalling a further escalation in one of the country's most strategically sensitive front lines. The announcement was made by Rashad al-Alimi, chief of the Saudi Arabia-backed Presidential Leadership Council, on Sunday. Fighting is already intensifying in the area, with civilians in the populous province described as being at risk.

The government says the offensive is aimed at regaining territory lost to the Houthis, who are described as consolidating gains after seizing much of Yemen's Red Sea coast last month. Taiz governorate is Yemen's most populous region, with nearly 4.5 million people, and includes the port city of Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The coastal areas were captured in a surprise campaign in early September, raising fears over international shipping through the strait and over supply routes into Taiz.

Taiz City itself remains under government control, but much of the surrounding governorate is contested, and the region sits between Houthi-held northern areas and government-held territory in the south. Analysts quoted in the source say the Houthi push is intended to secure coastal gains up to Bab al-Mandeb and increase pressure on Lahij, Aden and the wider south. The government, meanwhile, sees the battle for Taiz as a strategic and existential struggle for control of the country.

The latest offensive matters because Taiz is not only a military front but also a major population centre and a key route for movement and supply. The governorate's position on the Red Sea coast gives it added importance in a conflict that has repeatedly affected maritime security in the region. Any further fighting around Bab al-Mandeb could have implications beyond Yemen, given the strait's role in international shipping.

The conflict in Taiz also reflects the wider war that has divided Yemen since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government to retreat to Aden. Since then, Taiz has remained one of the most contested areas because it links the north and south and sits at the intersection of military, humanitarian and transport concerns. The source says the government is trying to reverse recent Houthi advances and prevent further isolation of its forces.

The report does not give casualty figures for the latest offensive, and it is not clear how far government forces have advanced or whether the Houthis have responded in detail. It also remains uncertain how the fighting will affect access for civilians in and around Taiz City, where movement has already been constrained by years of conflict. What happens next will depend on whether the offensive can hold its gains and whether the front line spreads beyond Taiz into other parts of western Yemen.

Yemen's internationally recognised government says it has carried out nearly 500 military operations in the past 24 hours, claiming to have killed or wounded 1,540 Houthi fighters. The operations were said to involve warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles and rocket launchers, with most of the reported casualties concentrated in Taiz governorate. Government forces also said they have closed the al-Houban crossing linking Houthi-held al-Houban with government-held Taiz city.

Military spokesman Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said the strikes targeted Houthi positions in several parts of Yemen and halted a Houthi advance in Taiz. A separate army media official, Ammar al-Sami'i, said the crossing was shut for security reasons after an attempted Houthi infiltration, attacks near the road and a wider military buildup. He said the route had been reopened to civilians in 2024 for humanitarian reasons after being closed for nine years.

The closure affects one of the most important links between the two sides in Taiz, a city that has remained a focal point of the conflict. The government did not report any casualties among its own forces in the statement cited, and the claims could not be independently verified. The renewed fighting comes after a fragile truce between the government and the Houthis collapsed in July, and after the Houthis advanced in parts of western Yemen in mid-September.

Taiz has long been one of Yemen's most sensitive frontlines because of its position between areas controlled by the Houthis and territory held by the government. The city and surrounding governorate have also been central to the wider war that began in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government to retreat to Aden. The latest closure of the al-Houban crossing adds another layer of disruption to movement and access in a conflict that has already displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

The government says its recent operations have stabilised the front lines after the Houthi push in the west, including the seizure of the port city of Mocha and strategic islands in the Bab al-Mandeb strait in mid-September. That area matters beyond Yemen because of its proximity to a major maritime chokepoint, and because fighting there can affect security along the Red Sea corridor. The Taiz front is also significant because it sits at the intersection of military, humanitarian and transport concerns.

What remains unclear is whether the reported casualty figures will be borne out by independent reporting, and whether the closure of the al-Houban crossing will hold. It is also not yet clear how long the government intends to keep the road shut or whether talks over access could resume. For now, the main issue is whether the latest escalation stays concentrated around Taiz or spreads to other fronts in Yemen.

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