Yemeni Forces Seize Bab al-Mandab Strait From Houthis

Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces declared on Sunday they have secured control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the strategic Red Sea waterway, as part of a sweeping offensive aimed at retaking all territory held by the Iran-backed Houthi militia. The Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Israeli territory and attacked Red Sea shipping in recent months.

A Yemeni military spokesman confirmed that Giants Brigades and National Shield forces were besieging Houthi fighters in the coastal town of Dhubab, which overlooks the strait, after capturing its airport and cutting the road to the port city of Mokha, the BBC reported. Houthi-run media denied the government advances in the area.

For Israeli shipping and Eilat port operations, the development could signal a shift in Red Sea security dynamics. The Houthis have targeted vessels in the waterway as part of what they describe as retaliation against Saudi Arabia, though they have also launched direct attacks on Israeli territory.

The offensive marks a dramatic escalation in Yemen's 12-year civil war. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, announced operations on multiple fronts, including near the capital Sanaa, which fell to the Houthis at the war's outset, according to the BBC. Al-Alimi declared that "all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted."

A Saudi-led military coalition reported destroying more than 300 "high-value" targets in air strikes supporting the ground offensive. Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki announced the deployment of 100 warplanes providing round-the-clock air cover for government forces, as JFeed reported.

The New York Times revealed that more than 200 American intelligence and military analysts are working inside Saudi command centers, selecting and analyzing targets for the Saudi-backed forces. The United States is also providing aerial refueling for Saudi defensive patrols, though President Donald Trump has declined Saudi requests for direct American strikes on the Houthis, according to JFeed reporting.

Fire in Saudi Arabia: Houthis strike cities and energy facilities — 73 wounded (Photo: Social media)

The fighting has exacted a devastating toll. At least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 injured since August 6, 2026, with another 197,000 displaced, the BBC reported, citing Yemen's government health ministry.

The Houthis launched the current phase of conflict in July 2026 by announcing a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, claiming retaliation for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in their territory. In September 2026, Houthi forces launched a surprise offensive along Yemen's southwestern Red Sea coast, quickly seizing areas overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The militia stated it posed no threat to international shipping but would continue targeting Saudi vessels. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for launching ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Riyadh and Khurais, according to the BBC.