Sanaa: Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi air support have made major advances around the strategically important Bab el Mandeb Strait as the internationally recognised government begins a wider military campaign against the Houthi movement.
Government forces said they had captured Dhubab district and several key positions near the strait on October 5. Yemen's Defence Ministry also said its forces had retaken the Red Sea port city of Mocha and secured important positions in the area.
The claims mark a major shift in the fighting along Yemen's western coast. However, the full extent of the government advance has not been independently confirmed, and fighting was still reported in parts of the area.
Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al Eryani said government forces had achieved effective control of the Bab el Mandeb Strait. Yemeni military officials also said government forces had captured the Dhubab airstrip and cut important supply routes used by Houthi fighters.
Saudi Arabia has provided air support for the offensive. Saudi coalition spokesman Major General Turki al Maliki said 100 fighter jets were providing support for the operation and that the coalition had carried out strikes against Houthi targets.
The Houthis have rejected the government claims about the extent of its gains, describing reports of a major breakthrough as untrue.
Houthi forces have also made advances around Taiz, with government military sources reporting that they had moved into al Turbah, a strategically important town on the road linking Taiz with Aden. Other government sources disputed whether the road had been completely cut.
The developments show that the government offensive has not resulted in a decisive defeat for the Houthis. Instead, fighting is continuing on several fronts as both sides try to strengthen their positions.
The latest offensive follows a period of renewed fighting in Yemen. The internationally recognised government has said its campaign is aimed at retaking Houthi controlled territory and restoring state authority.
Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al Alimi announced the beginning of a broader military operation on October 4. Government forces launched the major offensive the following day. The operation, known as Dawn of Yemen, is intended to push back the Houthis and restore government control over territory held by the group.
The government has also said the campaign will eventually seek to retake Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Houthis.
The Bab el Mandeb Strait has particular international importance. It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world's major maritime routes. Any prolonged fighting around the strait could create further risks for commercial shipping and increase pressure on an already troubled regional trade route.
The latest fighting is taking place as the wider region faces serious security tensions. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agreed on October 5 to move towards the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia under their new defence arrangement. The countries did not announce how many troops would be involved or when any deployment would take place.
The Houthis have also claimed attacks against several targets in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an Aramco refinery in Rabigh. Those claims have not been independently verified.
The renewed fighting is worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis. The UN migration agency said more than 184,000 people had been displaced since the renewed fighting began.
The agency also recorded 21,798 new displacements between September 27 and October 3, showing the rapid impact of the latest escalation on civilians.
Yemen's current civil war escalated after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014. Saudi Arabia later led a military coalition that intervened in support of Yemen's internationally recognised government. A period of relative calm followed the 2022 truce, but the truce collapsed in July 2026 and fighting intensified in the following months.
The latest government offensive is one of the most significant developments in Yemen's conflict in recent years. While government forces have made significant claimed gains around Bab el Mandeb and Mocha, continued Houthi activity around Taiz shows that the war remains far from over.