Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen has said that the Bab al Mandab Strait had been cleared of Houthi militia, and Yemeni government troops reported continuing fierce clashes around the strategic waterway.
“Blessed Friday, and victory for every Yemeni and Arab. Bab al Mandab has been cleared of the remnants of the Houthi terrorist militia,” Mohammed Al Jaber wrote on X on Friday, without providing further details.
A Yemeni military source told Anadolu, speaking on condition of anonymity, that government forces launched an operation Friday morning to establish full control over the strait and Mayun Island, which overlooks the key maritime passage.
The operation involves the Southern Giants Brigades and Nation’s Shield Forces, with support from the Saudi-led coalition, the source said.
Government forces pursue remaining Houthi militias
Yemeni government forces said heavy fighting was continuing around the waterway.
The Nation’s Shield Forces said their units, alongside the Southern Giants Brigades, were pursuing remaining Houthi militia in the area.
Strategic waterway at centre of renewed fighting
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthi militia seized the capital, Sanaa, and several provinces in 2014.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
The latest escalation, which began in July, has marked the most extensive fighting since a UN-brokered truce brought relative calm in 2022.
As clashes intensified in September, the Houthi militias seized key areas in Hudaydah and Taiz provinces and advanced as far as Mayun Island in the Bab al Mandab Strait.
Government forces launched Operation Dawn of Yemen this week to retake Houthi-held territory and restore control over the strategically important area.
The Bab al Mandab connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a vital route for international shipping between Europe and Asia.
