Yemeni Forces Advance Against Houthis Near Critical Strait
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces made significant advances against the Iran-backed Houthis near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Monday. According to Yemeni officials, the forces pushed the Houthis out of several key areas, including the towns of Dhubab, Bab, and Hadeid, and reached the outskirts of the port city of Mokha. Witnesses reported seeing government tanks and troops entering these towns. The Houthis, however, claimed they conducted missile and drone strikes on Saudi airports, an oil refinery, and military bases, though these claims could not be independently verified.
The Yemeni Defense Ministry asserted that government forces, supported by Saudi airstrikes, had captured Mokha. However, government sources told Reuters that forces had only reached the city's outskirts by late Monday, with Houthi fighters retreating into the highlands. Military sources stated that government forces had taken control of the Dhubab military airfield and aimed to advance further to retake Mokha and besiege Houthi positions in Bab el-Mandeb. The Houthis dismissed the government's claims as baseless.
The Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, announced that 100 fighter jets were supporting government forces and that the coalition had secured 'air protection' of Bab el-Mandeb. The coalition also reported destroying 324 'high-value' targets and thwarting a planned Houthi attack on southern Red Sea waterways. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the group targeted several sites in Saudi Arabia, including airports and an Aramco refinery, with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.
In response to the escalating conflict, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan agreed to deploy forces to Saudi Arabia under their Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The agreement, signed in August, stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three countries is an attack on all. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Saudi Arabia had the right to defend itself, with the U.S. providing intelligence and planning support for the offensive.