Yemeni troops claim control of key Bab al-Mandab Strait
Yemen's government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have launched a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, claiming to have "secured" the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. The military operation marks a significant escalation in the country's ongoing civil war, with government forces besieging Houthis in the Red Sea coastal town of Dhubab and launching operations on multiple fronts, including an attempt to retake the capital Sanaa, which fell to the Houthis at the start of the conflict twelve years ago. The offensive follows months of mounting tensions and comes after a fragile four-year ceasefire began to unravel in July.
The government operation involves Giants Brigades and National Shield forces, who have taken control of Dhubab's airport and cut the road to the port city Mokha, though the Houthis dispute these claims. The Saudi-led military coalition supporting the offensive said its fighter jets destroyed over 300 "high-value" targets in strikes supporting the operation. In response, the Houthis have launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco oil sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area. Since fighting intensified on 6 August, at least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 injured, with the UN reporting a further 197,000 displaced from their homes.
- Yemen's government launches major offensive against Houthis with Saudi backing.
- Over 300 military targets destroyed by Saudi-led coalition strikes.
- At least 959 killed since August with 197,000 displaced by fighting.
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The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a narrow waterway between Yemen and Djibouti that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Roughly 12 per cent of global maritime trade passes through it, making it vital for oil shipments, grain exports, and other goods destined for Europe and beyond. Its strategic importance means control of the strait is highly valued by regional and global powers.
Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi movement took control of much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa. The government, backed by Saudi Arabia and an allied military coalition, opposes the Houthis and contests their control. The conflict has become one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, displacing millions and creating severe shortages of food and medicine.
The strait matters in this conflict because whoever controls territory around it can disrupt shipping, launch attacks on vessels, and project regional power. The Houthis have previously targeted commercial ships and military assets near the strait, whilst government forces and their allies aim to push back Houthi influence and secure the waterway. This struggle reflects both Yemen's internal power battle and broader regional and global strategic interests.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Yemen's internationally recognized government has a legitimate right to recover control of strategically vital territory, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is essential for maritime commerce and national sovereignty. The Houthis have demonstrated both capability and willingness to attack civilian infrastructure, representing a genuine security threat that military response appropriately addresses. After a failed four-year ceasefire, reasserting government authority and countering Iranian-backed forces through military means represents sound strategic policy.
The case against
The offensive's humanitarian toll—nearly 1,000 deaths and 200,000 displaced in two months—raises profound questions about whether military escalation serves Yemen's actual interests. Yemen's twelve-year history of civil conflict demonstrates that military solutions have repeatedly failed to achieve lasting stability, suggesting this escalation will deepen suffering without resolving underlying political grievances. Diplomatic negotiation and international mediation, however difficult, offer genuine prospects for stability that continued military escalation cannot achieve.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Yemeni government forces say they have ‘secured’ Bab al-Mandab Strait”.