Yemeni Government Forces Recapture Key Coastline Near Strategic Strait

Yemeni government forces and a Saudi-led coalition have launched a major military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi fighters along the Red Sea coast, according to reports from DW News and Euronews. Government officials stated on Monday that allied forces recaptured several key areas around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, as reported by The Guardian, ABC News, and the Somali Guardian. Euronews reported that the operation, named Operation Yemen Dawn, successfully retook the coastal town of Dhubab, located just north of the strait. [1][2][3][9][11]

The offensive was launched a day after Yemeni Presidential Council chief Rashad al-Alimi announced the objective of retaking Houthi-held territory, DW News reported. According to The Guardian and Euronews, the air campaign supporting the operation involves 100 coalition jet aircraft. The Guardian added that coalition leaders claimed the air campaign secured protection of the Bab el-Mandeb strait and destroyed hundreds of target locations. [1][2][3][5]

Yemeni forces also claimed control over the port city of Mocha, according to reporting from Al Jazeera and The National. Meanwhile, Euronews reported that the Houthis claimed to have carried out retaliatory strikes against Riyadh international airport, an oil refinery, and military bases in Saudi Arabia. Euronews also noted that Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia as the conflict broadens. [1][8][10]

The latest fighting follows a Houthi offensive launched on 3 September 2026 against the internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, which initially sparked clashes in Taiz Governorate and prompted government counter-offensives in Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda governorates. Amid the military escalation over Red Sea shipping routes, Brent crude oil prices hovered around 100 dollars a barrel, CBS News reported. [4][12]