Yemeni pro-government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, announced on Sunday that they have “secured” the Bab al-Mandab Strait, marking the opening of a significant military campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The statement comes as intensified fighting re-ignites in a country still suffering from a civil war that began over a decade ago.
A Yemeni military spokesperson confirmed that the Giants Brigades and National Shield forces are currently besieging Houthi fighters in Dhubab, a coastal town in the southwest that overlooks the vital Red Sea waterway. The government reported that its troops have seized control of the local airport and severed the main road leading to the port city of Mokha. However, media outlets linked to the Houthis disputed these claims, denying that government forces have made any territorial gains in the area.
Concurrently, operations have expanded to other fronts, including the capital, Sanaa, which the Houthis captured at the outset of the conflict twelve years ago. A Saudi-led coalition stated that its fighter jets have struck more than 300 “high-value” targets in support of the ground offensive.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, declared the start of the operation aimed at reclaiming all Houthi-held territory. Al-Alimi asserted that all avenues for de-escalation had been exhausted and urged all armed and security forces to execute their assigned missions to “liberate the country from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia.”
The escalation follows heightened tensions after reports emerged that Houthi fighters had severed a mountain road near the city of Taiz, effectively surrounding government troops and civilians in the region. In response to what they described as a blockade of their ports and airports, as well as an airstrike on Sanaa airport blamed on Saudi Arabia, the Houthis announced the launch of ballistic missiles and drones targeting oil facilities operated by Saudi Aramco in Riyadh and the Khurais area.
The current violence represents a further breakdown of a fragile informal ceasefire that began to unravel in July. That month, the Houthis imposed a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia, resuming attacks on Saudi airports and Red Sea shipping. Last month, the group launched a surprise offensive along the southwestern Red Sea coast, temporarily ousting pro-government forces from key areas including Dhubab, Mokha, and Perim Island. While the Houthis claimed they posed no threat to international shipping, they continued to target vessels associated with Saudi Arabia.
The human cost of the renewed fighting has been severe. According to Yemen’s health ministry, at least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 injured since August 6. The United Nations reports that an additional 197,000 individuals have been displaced from their homes.
Leave a Reply