Yemen's Government Retakes Areas Around the Bab al-Mandab Strait
Saudi-led coalition forces retook several areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait from Houthi rebels on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, Yemeni officials said. The Guardian
The Bab al-Mandab is a narrow waterway between Yemen and East Africa. It links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, so much shipping between Europe and Asia must pass through it.
Forces allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government — the administration recognized by the United Nations — retook the town of Dhubab just north of the strait. The same officials said those forces also captured the towns of Bab and Hadeid nearby. Yemen's Armed Forces announced Monday that government forces had taken Bab al-Mandab itself and Dhubab Airport in western Taiz. Saba Al Jazeera reported Oct. 5 that government forces recaptured Dhubab district near the strait. Al Jazeera Reuters reported Oct. 5 that Saudi-backed government forces advanced Monday to retake the coast around Bab el-Mandeb. Reuters
Yemen's government launched a major offensive early Monday with air support from the Saudi-led coalition. The stated aim is to retake all territory held by the Houthis. Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said 100 fighter jets were supporting government forces. Al-Malki said the coalition had secured air protection over the strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets. Ground advances around Dhubab and the nearby coast followed that air-supported push.
The operation follows a Houthi surprise offensive last month that captured the strait and about 150 km of territory. Reuters The Houthis, who are aligned with and supported by Iran, had reached the Perim and Hanish islands near the strait. Houthi forces had also pushed south toward Dhubab on the Red Sea coast.
There were competing claims beyond the strait. The Houthis said they captured the town of Turbah in southwestern Yemen. Four security sources said the Houthis cut a supply route linking the city of Taiz with Aden and took control of the al-Safiya area. Sources from both sides told AFP on Sunday that fighting in and around Taiz province killed more than 70 people over the past day. That toll covers Taiz province and does not establish who holds the coastal towns.
Asked if the Saudi-led coalition coordinated its action with the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saudi Arabia and the U.S. had a defense agreement. He did not elaborate further on coordination.
The broader context here is a contest over position as much as ground. A government-held coast would complicate Houthi power projection toward the strait and nearby islands, while a Houthi hold around Turbah and the Taiz-Aden road would pressure government supply lines inland. In my view, the parallel announcements on different fronts suggest both commands are trying to build leverage before any pause or talks. What to watch next is whether control of Dhubab Airport holds, whether fighting in Taiz widens, and how Washington describes its role under the defense agreement Rubio cited.
