Houthi advance on Bab-el-Mandeb tightens grip on Red Sea shipping: Report

Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces carried out more than 20 air strikes on Houthi positions on Saturday, part of a counteroffensive along the western coast after the group, formally known as Ansar Allah, captured several towns and islands in recent days. The Houthis seized the port city of Mokha on Thursday, gaining a foothold on the Red Sea coast after government forces withdrew, and fighters reached the strategic Mayun Island in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait on Friday. Al Jazeera's Youssef Mawry, reporting from Sana'a, says Saudi-backed government forces are relying on air strikes rather than ground battles because troops in the area have largely withdrawn, letting the Houthis advance further. The group has said only Saudi vessels will be blocked from the strait, with other countries free to pass. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #Yemen #Houthis #BabElMandeb #RedSea #SaudiArabia #AnsarAllah #AlJazeeraEnglish