Yemeni military says it has 'secured' Red Sea waterway

Yemeni pro-government forces supported by Saudi Arabia have announced that they have secured the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait, marking the opening phase of a sweeping offensive against Houthi rebels.

The military declared on Monday that combined units, including the Giants Brigades, National Shield, and Tihama Resistance, had reclaimed the Red Sea port city of Mokha following Saudi airstrikes. However, conflicting accounts quickly emerged. Government and military sources speaking to news agencies indicated that troops had merely reached the fringes of Mokha rather than fully securing the city, noting that Houthi fighters were pulling back. Officials speaking anonymously confirmed that allied troops took over the Dhubab military airfield and severed a key road connecting the district to the strait, while Houthi media disputed that government forces had made gains in the Dhubab region.

The developments come amid the launch of Operation Yemen Dawn, a wide-ranging campaign unveiled on Sunday by Rashad al-Alimi, the leader of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council. Alimi asserted that attempts at diplomatic de-escalation had failed and directed forces to push forward until all Houthi-controlled regions are recaptured. Fighting has flared across multiple fronts, including around the capital, Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control for twelve years.

The Saudi-led military coalition stated that its aircraft are offering continuous air cover, reporting the destruction of 324 targets since the push started. Meanwhile, Houthi-run media reported civilian casualties from coalition strikes in Sanaa, including the deaths of a woman and a schoolgirl. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam condemned the attacks, and a rebel-run coordination office cautioned commercial airlines that most Saudi airspace is no longer safe.

Tensions have rapidly escalated beyond Yemen's borders. The Houthis stated they deployed ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and Khurais, citing retaliation for ongoing strikes. BBC Verify confirmed that satellite pictures showed dense plumes of smoke rising from the Riyadh refinery and the Khurais processing facility over the weekend.

The renewed combat marks a dramatic collapse of an informal truce that had held for four years. The ceasefire deteriorated in July following Houthi drone and missile strikes against Saudi energy and transport infrastructure, along with an declared maritime blockade. Houthi forces had recently captured positions along the southwestern coast, including Mokha and nearby islands, raising alarms over commercial shipping and driving up global crude prices.

The humanitarian toll continues to mount rapidly alongside the renewed violence. According to the Yemeni government's health ministry, at least 959 individuals have died and 5,000 have suffered injuries in the hostilities since 6 August. United Nations figures indicate that an additional 197,000 people have been displaced from their homes.