Yemeni Forces Claim Red Sea Victory as Military Says Bab al-Mandab Is Secured
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces say they have secured the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and recaptured key Red Sea positions from Houthi fighters.
Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia have announced that they have “secured” the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, intensifying a major military offensive aimed at pushing Iran-aligned Houthi fighters away from Yemen’s Red Sea coastline.
The claim marks a potentially significant development in the battle for control of one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and providing a critical passage for ships travelling between Europe and Asia. However, independent reports indicate that the full extent of the government forces’ control remains difficult to verify amid continuing fighting.
The military advance forms part of an operation launched by Yemen’s internationally recognised government under the name “Yemen Dawn,” which seeks not only to secure the Red Sea coast but ultimately to retake territories held by the Houthis, including the capital, Sanaa. (Al Jazeera)
Military announces control of Bab al-Mandab
Yemeni military spokesman Lt. Col. Majid Abdullah al-Nuzayli said government-aligned forces had successfully taken control of the Bab al-Mandab area.
The offensive involved the Southern Giants Brigades, Nation’s Shield forces and other pro-government formations. Military officials said the forces also captured Dhubab airport and cut the road linking Dhubab with the strategic port city of Mokha.
According to the military, hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded around Dhubab and were urged to surrender. Some fighters reportedly escaped by boat.
The government forces’ announcement was accompanied by heavy Saudi military support, including air operations targeting Houthi positions. (AA News)
Why Bab al-Mandab matters
Bab al-Mandab is one of the world's most strategically important maritime passages.
The narrow strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Arabian Sea. Ships using the Suez Canal route between Asia and Europe pass through the Red Sea before reaching Bab al-Mandab.
The waterway has become even more important amid disruptions elsewhere in the region. The latest conflict has raised fears that prolonged fighting could once again threaten international shipping, energy supplies and global trade.
Recent reports estimate that about 12 per cent of global trade normally passes through the Red Sea corridor, making the security of Bab al-Mandab a major international economic concern.
For Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognised government, restoring control of the waterway would represent both a military and economic objective.
Houthis had recently expanded their control
The latest offensive follows major Houthi advances along Yemen's western coastline.
The Iran-aligned group seized the strategic port city of Mokha and other territory around the Red Sea coast in September, giving it greater influence over the Yemeni side of Bab al-Mandab.
The gains alarmed Saudi Arabia and its allies because control of the coastline could allow the Houthis to threaten shipping and further consolidate their military position.
The Saudi-backed government subsequently mobilised forces for a counteroffensive, culminating in the launch of Operation Yemen Dawn.
Government forces have since claimed advances around Dhubab, Bab al-Mandab and Mokha.
Saudi Arabia provides heavy air support
Saudi Arabia has played a central role in the offensive.
The Saudi-led coalition said around 100 fighter jets were providing air support to Yemeni forces and that hundreds of Houthi targets had been struck.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said Saudi forces had also provided air protection for the Bab al-Mandab waterway.
The coalition reported striking Houthi military infrastructure, including weapons depots and facilities allegedly used to store explosive-laden boats and naval mines.
The stated objective is to prevent the Houthis from using the Red Sea coastline to threaten shipping or launch maritime attacks.
Fighting continues despite government claims
Despite the declaration that Bab al-Mandab has been secured, the conflict remains active.
The Houthis have not accepted the government's claims of battlefield defeat. Their military spokesman has described opposing reports as exaggerated and maintained that the group continues to hold positions gained during its recent offensive.
There have also been conflicting reports about Mokha. Yemeni military authorities said government forces had captured the city, while other sources indicated that government troops had reached or were fighting around its outskirts.
Independent verification of the competing battlefield claims remains limited.
This uncertainty is important because controlling Bab al-Mandab militarily is not necessarily the same as guaranteeing uninterrupted maritime security throughout the wider Red Sea.
Houthis retaliate against Saudi targets
As government forces pushed along the Red Sea coast, the Houthis responded with missile and drone attacks against targets inside Saudi Arabia.
Houthi officials claimed attacks against airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure, including locations in Riyadh, Rabigh, Abha, Najran and Jizan.
Saudi authorities confirmed that attacks targeted airports in Jizan and Najran, causing three minor injuries, although some of the other Houthi claims have not been independently verified.
The retaliatory attacks demonstrate the wider regional implications of the Yemeni offensive. Rather than remaining confined to the country's western coastline, the fighting risks drawing Saudi Arabia and other regional powers deeper into the conflict.
Humanitarian crisis worsens
The renewed fighting is also deepening Yemen's humanitarian emergency.
The World Health Organization has reported at least 959 deaths and more than 4,200 injuries from the latest escalation, while the International Organization for Migration said more than 184,000 people had been displaced.
Health facilities are under growing pressure, with humanitarian agencies warning that the already fragile health system is being pushed towards breaking point.
The conflict has also disrupted food supplies and other essential services, raising concerns that further military advances could produce another wave of civilian displacement.
Battle for Red Sea remains far from over
The Yemeni government's claim that Bab al-Mandab has been secured represents an important battlefield development, but it does not necessarily mean the Red Sea conflict is over.
The Houthis retain significant military capabilities and have demonstrated an ability to launch missiles and drones over long distances. Government forces must also hold newly captured territory while confronting Houthi resistance further inland.
For Saudi Arabia, securing the maritime corridor is strategically vital. For Yemen's government, it could provide a platform for further advances towards Taiz and eventually Sanaa.
For the international community, the central concern is whether the offensive will restore safe passage through one of the world's busiest shipping routes or instead trigger a broader regional conflict.
For now, the battle for Bab al-Mandab remains part of a much larger struggle over Yemen's territory, political future and control of a waterway whose security affects global trade far beyond the Arabian Peninsula.