Yemen Offensive Intensifies Battle for Bab al-Mandab
Saudi-backed forces claim major gains as Houthis dispute battlefield losses
Key Developments:
- Yemeni forces claim control of Bab al-Mandab
- Mokha capture remains disputed amid conflicting reports
- Pakistan and Türkiye agree to rapid Saudi deployment
SANAA (BBC) — October 06, 2026: Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have launched a major counteroffensive against the Houthi movement, claiming significant gains along the strategically important Red Sea coast and asserting control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The operation, known as “Yemen Dawn,” involves the National Shield Forces, Giants Brigades and Tihama Resistance. Yemeni military authorities said their forces seized Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab Airport after cutting a key route linking the coastal areas with Mokha.
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Yemen’s official Saba news agency reported that hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded in Dhubab following the advance. Government forces also said some Houthi fighters attempted to withdraw by sea.
The status of Mokha, however, remains contested. Yemeni military authorities said the Red Sea port city had been captured with Saudi air support, while other Yemeni government and military sources cited by international news agencies said pro-government forces had reached the city’s outskirts. The differing accounts could not immediately be independently reconciled.
A Yemeni military source said: “Our forces took control of the Dhubab military airfield and cut the road linking the Dhubab district to the Bab al-Mandab area.”
The Houthis rejected claims that they had lost control of Mokha, Bab al-Mandab and surrounding positions, describing the reports as “Saudi propaganda.” Their forces have also claimed retaliatory missile and drone attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia, including sites around Riyadh and energy infrastructure. Those claims have not all been independently verified.
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Saudi Arabia has acknowledged a major air campaign in support of the Yemeni government forces. The Saudi-led coalition said around 100 fighter jets were involved and claimed that 324 high-value targets had been destroyed, while saying its aircraft were providing continuous air support for ground operations.
The escalation has also widened the regional security dimension of the conflict. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye held an emergency meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and agreed to begin practical implementation of their collective-defence commitments, including the provision and rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia.
Yemen's government says it has launched an offensive aimed at retaking all territory held by the Houthis. CREDIT: BBC.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the three countries also condemned attacks targeting Saudi territory and civilian and economic facilities. The agreement provides for collective defence, with an armed attack against one member treated as an attack against all three under the pact.
The renewed fighting has drawn concern from the United Nations. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned what his spokesperson described as continued Houthi cross-border attacks and said he was “deeply concerned by the sharp escalation in fighting.”
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The latest offensive follows a major Houthi advance along Yemen’s southwestern Red Sea coastline, during which the group expanded its presence around Mokha, Dhubab and other positions near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The waterway is strategically important because it links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms a major maritime passage between Europe and Asia. Any sustained disruption could affect commercial shipping and regional energy flows.
The fighting also comes amid an already severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Civilian areas have reportedly been affected by the latest air strikes, while both sides continue to exchange accusations over attacks and casualties.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned "the continued Houthi cross-border attacks" on Saudi Arabia and said he was "deeply concerned by the sharp escalation in fighting", in a statement to AFP. CREDIT: BBC.
Yemen's conflict began when the Houthis seized Sanaa and expanded their territorial control, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the internationally recognised government. A prolonged period of reduced fighting had previously lowered the intensity of the conflict, but recent territorial advances and retaliatory attacks have raised concerns about a broader return to sustained warfare.
For now, control of parts of the southwestern Red Sea coast remains fluid, while competing claims from the Yemeni government and the Houthis make the precise battlefield situation difficult to independently establish.
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