Yemen Forces Push Houthis From Bab el-Mandeb
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have made a rapid advance around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, pushing Iran-backed Houthi fighters out of most of the territory they seized during the previous month.
Government forces, supported by heavy Saudi airstrikes, advanced along the coast toward the city of Mocha. Four government sources said the forces reached the outskirts of Mocha, while Yemen’s Defence Ministry said the city had fallen. The government forces had already captured key positions in the Dhubab district, including an airstrip overlooking the narrow waterway.
The advance is strategically important because Bab el-Mandeb is a major maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Control over the area has direct implications for global shipping and energy markets.
Houthis respond with attacks on Saudi targets
The Houthis said they responded by attacking several locations inside Saudi Arabia. Their claimed targets included King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, Abha International Airport and a military base in Khamis Mushait.
The claims could not immediately be independently verified, and Saudi Arabia and Aramco had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The fighting comes after weeks of renewed conflict in Yemen. The Houthis have sought to strengthen their position around Bab el-Mandeb while also launching missile and drone attacks against Saudi cities and infrastructure.
Regional alliance expands military response
The escalation has also drawn a wider regional response. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed at an emergency meeting in Riyadh to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia under their Mecca defence pact.
The renewed fighting is also worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. The UN migration agency said around 184,000 people had been displaced since the conflict resumed.
Although government forces have reported significant territorial gains, Reuters said it could not independently verify the full extent of those gains. Houthi officials have rejected the government’s claims.
