Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia seized key positions near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Monday, seeking to reverse recent gains by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters, media reports have said.
Officials and military sources cited in the reports said troops had captured broad areas of Dhubab district overlooking the strategic waterway and were consolidating their positions with heavy air support from a Saudi-led coalition.
Houthi-aligned media had earlier denied that government forces were making advances in the area.
The offensive comes as fighting intensifies across several Yemeni front lines following the revival of the country’s long-running civil war amid wider tensions between the United States and Iran.
The Houthis have sought to strengthen their position around the Bab el-Mandeb while launching drones and missiles towards Saudi targets, according to reports.
The internationally recognised Yemeni government formally launched its campaign on Sunday to retake territory.
President Rashad al-Alimi vowed to continue fighting “until the country is liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia”.
Saudi Arabia, which arms and trains Yemeni government forces, is backing the offensive with air power and has sought logistical support from allies.
The campaign aims to push back the Houthis, restore traffic through the Red Sea and end attacks on Saudi territory, according to the reports.
The heaviest fighting has been reported in southwestern Yemen, particularly along the coast near the strait and in the hills around Taiz, where Houthi forces are seeking to encircle government positions.
A Houthi-run news agency on Monday quoted a military source as saying the group had driven government forces out of al-Mawasit district in Taiz province and advanced towards the home of Alimi, who heads Yemen’s interim presidential council.
The mountainous district lies near the main road linking Taiz with Aden and is the last route available to government forces into Taiz, which has remained a frontline since the conflict began.
