Yemeni pro-government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have announced they have "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This claim comes at the beginning of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
A Yemeni military spokesman stated that Giants Brigades and National Shield forces are besieging Houthi fighters in Dhubab, a Red Sea coastal town overlooking the strategic waterway. This follows the forces reportedly taking control of Dhubab airport and cutting the road to the port city of Mokha. However, Houthi-run media have denied that government forces have made any advances in the Dhubab area.
The government also reported that operations have commenced on several other fronts, including the capital Sanaa, which fell to the Houthis 12 years ago. Concurrently, a Saudi-led military coalition indicated its fighter jets have destroyed over 300 "high-value" targets in strikes supporting the offensive.
The head of Yemen's internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council announced the offensive on Sunday, aiming to retake all Houthi-held territory. He stated that all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted.