ADEN, Yemen – Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces say they have retaken the Dhubab district and key positions near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in a major offensive against Houthi forces.
Government Forces Advance
Yemen’s armed forces said Monday that the National Shield Forces and Giants Brigades captured Dhubab in western Taiz province after fighting Houthi forces.
Local resistance fighters also took part in the operation.
The military said airstrikes hit Houthi positions and movements across the district. Government forces also cut roads and supply routes leading toward Bab el-Mandeb.
Later, the military said its forces had taken control of Bab el-Mandeb and Dhubab airport. It said troops had moved around Houthi positions and cut the road between Dhubab and Mokha.
The military also said hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded in the area.
The battlefield claims could not be fully confirmed independently. The Houthi side has disputed reports of government advances around Dhubab.
Saudi Air Support
The offensive, called Dawn of Yemen, began after Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi ordered military operations to retake Houthi-held territory and restore government control.
Al-Alimi said Monday that government forces had made major gains along the western coast. He cited positions in Dhubab and around Bab el-Mandeb.
He also praised Saudi-led coalition support for the operation.
Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said about 100 fighter jets were supporting Yemeni government forces. He said the coalition had also established air protection over the Bab el-Mandeb area.
The coalition said it was continuing attacks on Houthi targets.
Battle for a Key Sea Route
Saudi Arabia says its military operations also aim to protect shipping in the southern Red Sea and around Bab el-Mandeb.
On Tuesday, the coalition said its naval forces carried out an operation in Hodeidah province. It said the operation targeted weapons depots, explosive-laden boats and naval mines that threatened shipping.
Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. It is one of the world’s major shipping routes.
Control of the coastline around the strait is therefore important to Yemen’s government, the Houthis and other regional powers involved in the war.
Houthi Gains Under Pressure
The latest offensive follows recent Houthi advances in western and southwestern Yemen.
The Houthis had captured territory along the Red Sea coast and moved toward areas that could improve their position near Bab el-Mandeb.
Fighting has also continued around Taiz. Government and Houthi forces have clashed on several fronts as government forces try to reopen roads and strengthen threatened positions.
The Houthis have also claimed missile and drone attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia, including airports, military sites and oil facilities. Those claims have not been independently verified.
Humanitarian Cost
The renewed fighting has added to Yemen’s long-running humanitarian crisis.
More than 174,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen since the latest escalation, according to the International Organization for Migration.
For Yemen’s government, the offensive is an effort to regain territory and strengthen its position along the western coast.
For the Houthis, the fighting threatens gains made during their recent advance toward the Red Sea.
The immediate question is whether government forces can hold the positions they say they have captured and keep up the pressure along the western coast.
Reporting Credit: Yemeni Armed Forces; Presidential Leadership Council; Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen; International Organization for Migration.
