Yemeni government forces retake Dhubab and push toward Bab el-Mandeb
Saudi-backed government troops captured Dhubab airport and severed coastal supply roads near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Monday, launching a wider campaign to reverse recent Houthi advances.
Government offensive at Bab el-Mandeb
Yemeni government forces took control of key positions in the southwestern Dhubab district on 5 October 2026, pushing toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to roll back recent Houthi territorial gains. The ground assault involved the Giants Brigades and the Nation's Shield Forces, who secured Dhubab airport and severed the coastal transport route linking Dhubab and the port city of Mokha. Military officials confirmed that advance units reached the outskirts of the strait under cover from Saudi-led coalition aircraft. The operation followed a weekend declaration by the internationally recognized administration to recover all areas held by the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
The military described the coastal maneuver through official state media.
Forces from the Homeland Shield Forces and the Giants Brigades carried out a large-scale military operation with air cover targeting Houthi militia positions and movements in several areas of the district.
Clashes across the Taiz corridor
The coastal offensive coincides with intense combat in the rugged interior of Taiz province, where Houthi units have pressed to encircle Yemen's third-largest city. On 4 October 2026, Houthi fighters captured the town of Turbah, a longstanding government garrison on the primary road linking Taiz to the interim capital of Aden. Houthi-aligned media also reported advances in the al-Mawasit district, stating that their forces had reached the family home of Presidential Leadership Council leader Rashad al-Alimi. These territorial shifts threaten the final remaining supply corridor connecting government-held Taiz with southern maritime hubs.
In a televised address announcing the broader offensive, Rashad al-Alimi stated that operations aimed at recovering all rebel-held territory and called on foreign partners to provide direct assistance.
- Ceasefire collapses following clashes over Sanaa airport and Houthi drone strikes
- Houthi forces capture the Red Sea port of Mokha and nearby coastal islands
- Yemeni government announces offensive after Houthis capture the town of Turbah
- Government forces secure Dhubab district and advance toward Bab el-Mandeb
Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties
Saudi Arabia reinforced the ground operations with intensive air support across western and northern Yemen. Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili stated that government and coalition forces conducted 1,122 precision strikes targeting Houthi artillery positions, rocket launch pads, and command posts in Saada, al-Jawf, Taiz, and coastal sectors. Al-Nuzaili reported that 1,747 Houthi fighters were killed during the combined operations. Saudi military spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki affirmed full operational backing for the offensive until Houthi capabilities are eliminated, asserting the kingdom's right to defend its territory against missile and drone attacks.
Regional fallout and waterway security
The renewed clashes follow the breakdown in July 2026 of a truce established in 2022. Hostilities flared after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa airport to block an unauthorized Iranian flight, triggering rebel drone barrages against Saudi infrastructure and a declared blockade on Saudi shipping. In mid-September 2026, Houthi fighters moved rapidly down the Red Sea coastline, seizing Mokha and several offshore islands. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait accommodates roughly 12% of global maritime commerce. With Iranian disruptions already constraining traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the fighting in southwestern Yemen has created further pressure on global oil and freight routes.
