Yemeni Government Forces Claim Control of Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Officials say Operation Dawn of Yemen has taken key positions overlooking one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The Houthis deny it, and independent confirmation is thin.

KR

Khurram Ali Raza
Faith & Freedom News (FFN) · October 5, 2026

Government forces announce an advance

Yemeni military spokesman Lt. Col. Majid Abdullah al-Nuzayli said the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades and Nation's Shield Forces had taken control of Bab al-Mandeb. He also said they had captured Dhubab airport and cut the road linking Dhubab with the Red Sea port of Mokha.

The road matters. It is one of the coastal routes used to move fighters, weapons, fuel and supplies, so holding it could make reinforcement or withdrawal harder for Houthi units around Dhubab. Al-Nuzayli claimed hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded and urged them to surrender, adding that some tried to flee by boat. None of this has been independently confirmed.

Reuters reported, citing three military sources and a government source, that forces had secured key positions around the strait and large parts of Dhubab district. It also noted that fighting continued and that Houthi-aligned media denied the advances.

Why Bab al-Mandeb matters

Bab al-Mandeb is a narrow passage joining the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. Ships travelling between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal use it to avoid the far longer trip around Africa. Any threat there can push ships to reroute, raising travel time, fuel use, insurance costs and freight rates.

Land positions near the strait also have military value for watching traffic, coastal defence, missile operations and moving forces along Yemen's western coast. Still, holding nearby ground is not the same as controlling the waterway. That takes coastal security, ports and islands, the ability to detect and stop threats, and protection from missile, drone or naval attack.

Who is fighting

The Southern Giants Brigades have been a major force against the Houthis on southern and western fronts. Nation's Shield Forces are another pro-government formation backed by regional partners. Popular Resistance units were also reported to be involved. Together they reflect how fragmented the anti-Houthi camp is, with different political interests, regional bases and command structures.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said 100 fighter jets took part in the opening phase and that 324 targets were destroyed, with continuous air support for ground forces, according to Asharq Al-Awsat. Airpower can open the way for ground troops, but holding territory needs sustained ground deployment, logistics and local cooperation.

Operation Dawn of Yemen

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, announced the wider campaign. Its stated aims are to restore state institutions, retake Houthi-held territory, reopen strategic roads, and reclaim Sanaa. It is a major escalation after years of mostly static front lines.

• 2014
  The Houthis seize Sanaa.
• 2015
  A Saudi-led coalition intervenes to support the internationally recognized government.
• 2022
  A ceasefire cuts the violence but brings no full political settlement.
• October 5, 2026
  Operation Dawn of Yemen is announced and the Bab al-Mandeb claim follows.

Reuters describes the fighting as a renewal after a period of relative calm, with the heaviest clashes in southwestern Yemen, including the coast near Bab al-Mandeb and the mountains around Taiz.

Claims and denials

The Houthis reject the government account, and Houthi-aligned media dispute that troops secured the area. In Yemen, spokespeople often publish claims long before journalists or monitors can reach the sites, and control of isolated checkpoints, mountain positions and roads can shift quickly.

What it could mean for shipping

The strait is already a security concern because of missile, drone and maritime attacks linked to Yemen's conflict. Even without a strike, a credible threat can make companies avoid the route. Rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope adds thousands of nautical miles.

Government control of nearby positions could reduce the Houthi ability to threaten shipping from the west coast. An intensified offensive could also provoke retaliation against ships, ports, military sites or neighbouring states. Try the slider below to see how the picture changes.

The road to Sanaa is long

Retaking Sanaa is far more ambitious than seizing coastal positions. The Houthis are strongest in the northern highlands, where mountains favour defenders, and they run political, military and administrative structures there. The anti-Houthi camp is not one army: it includes regional brigades, tribal forces and factions with competing visions. Any military success will need an agreement on administration, security and power-sharing.

Humanitarian concerns

Years of war have damaged hospitals, roads, water systems, schools, ports and food networks. Fighting near towns, roads, airports and ports puts civilians at risk, and the airport and Mokha road also serve travel, trade and medical access. An advance toward Mokha or Taiz could displace more people, and aid delivery gets harder if roads are cut or checkpoints change hands. Past Saudi-led air operations drew criticism over civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, so targeting will be watched closely. The Houthis face scrutiny too, over military assets in populated areas and their treatment of civilians.

What to watch next

Bottom line

The government's claim, if it holds, could weaken Houthi supply lines and improve control of a vital stretch of the western coast. But the Houthis deny it, fighting continues, and verification is limited. The battle is tied to Yemen's wider war, Saudi Arabia's security concerns, the future of the Houthi movement and the safety of Red Sea shipping.

Sources

1. Reuters, Yemeni government forces seize district by Bab el-Mandeb, military sources say, Oct. 5, 2026.
2. Anadolu Agency, Yemeni government forces claim control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Houthis, Oct. 5, 2026.
3. Asharq Al-Awsat, Coalition: 100 warplanes took part in 'Yemen Dawn' operation, destroyed 324 targets, Oct. 5, 2026.
4. The National, Yemen government forces claim Bab Al Mandeb gains as Saudi coalition says 100 jets join Houthi offensive, Oct. 5, 2026.
5. Al Arabiya English, Saudi-led coalition says offering support as Yemen government launches offensive against Houthis, Oct. 5, 2026.
6. Arab News, Yemeni forces gain control of Bab al-Mandab in operation targeting Houthis, Oct. 5, 2026.
7. Xinhua, Yemen government launches offensive to retake Sanaa as fighting intensifies, Oct. 5, 2026.
8. The Jerusalem Post, Yemeni forces launch massive new offensive against Houthis, will it succeed?, Oct. 5, 2026.

By Khurram Ali Raza for Faith & Freedom News – FFN. This is a developing story and claims from all sides remain unverified. The map is an illustrative schematic.