Key facts
- Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia claim to have "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- The offensive aims to retake all territory held by the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
- Houthi-run media denied government forces made advances in the Dhubab area.
- Saudi-led coalition fighter jets destroyed over 300 "high-value" targets in support strikes.
- The Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco oil sites in Riyadh and Khurais.
- At least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 injured in Yemen since August 6.
Yemeni pro-government forces, with backing from Saudi Arabia, announced on Monday that they have "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait as part of a significant offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The offensive aims to reclaim territory currently held by the Houthis, who have controlled the strategic Red Sea waterway since launching their own offensive last month.
A Yemeni military spokesman stated that Giants Brigades and National Shield forces were besieging Houthi fighters in Dhubab, a coastal town overlooking the strait. These forces reportedly took control of Dhubab's airport and cut the road to the port city of Mokha. However, Houthi-run media denied these advances.
The offensive is reportedly underway on multiple fronts, including towards the capital, Sanaa. The Saudi-led military coalition reported destroying over 300 "high-value" targets in airstrikes supporting the operation. This escalation follows an announcement by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, that all de-escalation opportunities had been exhausted and that forces should begin their assigned missions to liberate the country.
The conflict in Yemen, which began in 2014 when Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa, escalated in 2015 with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition. An informal four-year ceasefire began to unravel in July, leading to Houthi actions such as a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities and airports. The Houthis claim these actions are retaliation for a Saudi blockade and airstrikes.
Recent fighting has resulted in significant casualties and displacement. According to Yemen's health ministry, at least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 injured since August 6, with the UN reporting an additional 197,000 displaced.